Forever With You
by Adela H
Summary: Ginny is in search for the reason why Draco hates her so much. She never thought she'd be looking so far back in the past and the reason is unexpected. D/G
1. Chapter 1: Escape From The Present

**Forever With You**

Chapter One: Escape from the Present

Ginny gritted her teeth and waited for the bludger to hit her. The impact almost knocked her off her broom, leaving a painful swollen feeling in her rib cage. She didn't dare ask for a time out because Gryffindor was already behind and the snitch had yet to be seen. 

"Alright there, Gin?" Harry asked as he flew beside her. 

"Yeah, go on Harry, I'll be fine." Ginny smiled, showing she was fine, but she wanted to cradle her wounded body. 

She watched Harry fly off and she too flew back towards the Quaffle that was currently in Slytherin hands. She zoomed in and out of the players towards Regina Crafal, the Slytherin player with the Quaffle. They were soon head and head. No one doubted that Ginny was the fastest girl on a broom, and if Harry hadn't been around, she could easily have been the fastest person, boy or girl, in the whole school. 

It unnerved Ron at first, who replaced Wood as both Captain and Keeper, but when he saw Ginny take bludgers as if they were marshmallows, and still be able to score an amazing amount of points, he would have gone down on his knees and begged her to stay on the team. But what everyone didn't know was that Ginny just took the pain on the field, the adrenalin coursing through her veins lessened it a little, but off field she'd be sore and unable to get out of bed the next day unless she put in a great effort. 

Crafal and Ginny were nearing the goal posts and Ginny acted fast. She reached out as if to take the Quaffle, but Regina switched the ball from one hand to the other, as Ginny had planned. She did a flip over Regina and was instantly on her other side. She grabbed the Quaffle from the startled Regina, and turned around and began zooming towards the other end of the field. The two other Chasers were on either side, ready to ward off any threatening Slytherins, but they were all left behind. 

What they hadn't expected was an attack from above. The only thing Ginny saw was a flash of green, and she began hurtling towards the ground, the Quaffle in her left hand, her broom in her right. 

"This is it." She thought. "If this doesn't kill me it will put me out of playing for a long while." 

She braced herself for the impact of the ground but it never came. She had closed her eyes, waiting, but when she didn't feel the dirt beneath her she looked up into Harry's green eyes. 

"Harry?" Ginny asked, dazed. "Where'd you come from?" 

Harry opened his mouth to speak but he was interrupted from loud cheers coming from the Slytherins. Lee Jordan was announcing the snitch being caught by Draco Malfoy and it suddenly dawned on her. 

"Harry, you moron, you caught me instead of the snitch?" Ginny freed herself from his arms and stood up next to him. "Harry, we'll never win now unless we get five hundred points next game and that hasn't been done in years! I can't believe you did that!" 

Ginny walked passed the astonished Harry and picked her broom off the ground and headed towards the locker rooms. She slammed the door shut behind her and headed towards her locker. Flinging it open she thrust her Quidditch things into it and slammed it shut as well. She sat down on the bench and the pain in her chest rose. She didn't have time to nurse it because the other players came in. 

"Ginny, are you ok?" Ron came running towards her. 

"Yes, Ron, I'm fine." Ginny warded off everyone else with optimistic expressions, but when everyone filtered out she still sat there. 

She must have sat there for at least an hour thinking over the whole game, wondering what went wrong, because by the time she took her broom to the broom shed on the other side of the field the sun was slowly setting over the trees. She was all alone and she needed to vent her anger. She climbed onto her broom and flew up into the chilling cold air. 

At first she zoomed from one side of the field to the other but soon her zooming turned to casual flying. Ginny always felt at peace when she was flying. To feel the wind sweep through her hair, feeling the weightlessness of being above the world. It was her favorite thing to do! The sun was giving off its last rays of light when Ginny landed on the ground and deemed it time to head back to the castle for some pilfered food from the kitchens. 

"Hey, if it isn't the little Weasley." A voice said, coming up behind her. 

Ginny swirled around and saw Draco Malfoy hovering over her on his broom. 

"I see you got Ron's old broom." Draco leered at the slender handle grasped in her hand. "You may be able to fly fast on it, Weasley, but from what I've seen to today the rule still stands…What goes up must come down." He smirked. 

"It was you, wasn't it?" Ginny's eyes narrowed. "You knocked me off my broom." Ginny tried controlling her anger and the urge to hit Draco with her broom. "Just leave me alone." 

Ginny turned her back towards him and continued walking towards the broom shed but Draco was still hovering close behind. She ignored him and his remarks about her flying, her family and everything else that seemed wrong in her life until they neared the castle. By this time he was off his broom and walking along side her. 

"Listen," Ginny faced him. "I don't know what it is I've done to you, but I don't like you pestering me. Just knock it off and act your age!" 

"I'll act my age when you learn not to fall." Draco reached out with his hand and roughly pushed Ginny. 

She fell to the ground, causing the pain in her chest to flow through the rest of her body. She looked up at Draco, his eyes smiling at what he had done, and then he was gone. Forcing the pain down, Ginny began crawling towards the castle doors. She'd love to just report him and get him expelled, but as it was it was his word against hers. 

She finally made it to her dorm room where she slowly crawled into bed, wishing she'd never have to leave it again. She had passed one of her friends in the common room who followed her. 

"Are you alright Ginny?" She asked. "You look like crap." 

Ginny smiled. "I can always count on you to tell the truth, Lisa." Ginny grimaced from the pain that was returning. "I could use some painless potion. Would you mind conjuring me up some?" 

Lisa obliged and ran towards her cauldron. She plopped in a few choice ingredients and set the liquid to a bubble. Within fifteen minute she had Ginny drinking from a sour smelling concoction. Ginny pulled a twisted face, but suddenly her pain was gone and all she felt now were her sore muscles. 

"How come you're so late? I thought you had been up here after the game but you weren't so I waited for you in the Great Hall and you never came. Where were you?" Lisa asked, sitting on the edge of Ginny's bed. 

Ginny explained that she was just flying around and thinking things over. She omitted the whole Draco scene, not wanting to go into details. But as Ginny slept she couldn't get it off her mind. This wasn't the first time Draco had done something like this to her, and she was sure it wouldn't be the last. 

* * *

"Ginny! Wake up!" Lisa was yelling at the lump in Ginny's bed. 

Ginny slowly opened her eyes to see Lisa running around the room, trying to find something by looking underneath the beds. She pulled a shoe out from behind a desk and wrenched it on. 

"Ginny!" Lisa now came over to Ginny. "We've slept in! We have class in less than ten minutes and it's all the way on the other side of the castle!" 

This news entered Ginny's mind and was processed rather slowly. Understanding dawned on her and she flung her sheets off of herself and ran to the wardrobe. She quickly put her school clothes on and thrust her feet into her shoes. Grabbing her bag and cloak, she ran out of Gryffindor Tower with Lisa. 

"D'you think you could conjure up some toast?" Ginny asked. 

They were both running down the corridor, glancing at their watches, doing last minute self-inspections. Lisa pulled her wand out and muttered a few choice words and four pieces of toast appeared, floating in front of them. 

"Fanks!" Ginny began eating immediately. 

At the end of the hall they could see students filing into a classroom and they made it just in time before the door closed. They grabbed some seats in the back and Ginny bent down to tie her shoes. Lisa was hurriedly trying to brush her hair before Professor Flitwick began. 

By the end of class Ginny's stomach began to protest at the lack of food. On their way to their next class Lisa risked conjuring some more food and they ate greedily. 

"I can't believe we slept in." Ginny said pulling out notes for her next class. 

"I know! That hasn't happened in months." 

Ginny stopped dead in her tracks as she looked at the pieces of parchment in her hands. 

"What? What's wrong?" Lisa asked, looking at the notes herself. 

"Oh no, oh no." Ginny began rummaging in her bag, pulling out pieces of parchment then shoving them back in. "No, this can't be happening!" 

"What's wrong?" Lisa asked again. 

"I left my History notes in my desk! Oh no, and we have a test today!" Ginny began breathing irregularly. 

"Just clam down, Gin. We have fifteen minutes before History of Magic. Just run back up to our room and get them. I'll save you a seat." Lisa smiled. 

Ginny nodded and headed in the opposite direction towards the Gryffindor Tower. The halls were deserted so she was not interrupted on her way. The sound of her shoes clicking on the stone floor echoed around her as she jogged along. She reached her room, grabbed her notes, then headed back to class. But something was different. She could hear two pairs of feet. 

Ginny turned around and saw someone coming up behind her. 

"Well, well, well. We've got to stop meeting like this." Draco smirked. 

"Leave me alone." Ginny gripped her wand in her hand but it was pointless. Draco disarmed her in a second. 

"You weren't really going to use this on me, were you?" Draco looked at the slim wand, then back at Ginny. "You're definitely no match for me." 

"What do you want?" Ginny asked, backing away a few steps. 

Draco sighed. "It's complicated. I want so many things from you, where to start?" 

Ginny's eyes roamed around the halls, wishing someone would pop out of a class to help her, but no one did. She watched Draco come closer, an evil smile covering his face. 

"I'll scream." Ginny threatened. 

"Go ahead. Look where we are." Draco waved his arm around the corridor. "These classes haven't been used in years. No one will hear you." 

"Just leave me alone!" Ginny's face was beginning to turn red with anger. 

"I don't think I will. I think I'll tell you what I want." Draco paused. "I want to see you in pain. I love the look of horror in your eyes…it's very becoming. I want to see you shake with fear." 

A sudden coldness filled Ginny. It felt like someone had a tight grip on her heart, causing her blood to stop flowing. She began to shiver. Draco's words sent chills down her spine and she was honestly afraid of what he was capable of. 

"Ginny?" Lisa came up behind them. "What took you so long?" She looked in Draco's direction. 

"Here, take your wand back." Draco threw it at Ginny's feet then walked away as if nothing happened. 

"Ginny, what happened?" Lisa asked watching Ginny pick her wand up. 

"N-nothing." Ginny stammered. 

"Don't lie to me. What's that prat done now?" 

"I don't want to talk about it." 

"Ginny!" Lisa grabbed Ginny's arm and forced her to look into her eyes. "Gin, you can tell me." 

"Look, we'll be late for class. I'll tell you later." Ginny hitched her bag on her shoulder, then headed down the corridor, followed by Lisa. 

During class Lisa kept taking sidelong glances at Ginny who pretended everything was fine. Lunch went by quickly. Ginny ate fast then got up and went to the library. Lisa refrained from asking then because there were many students in there. But when night came and they were both up in their dorm Lisa insisted. 

"Wait 'til they fall asleep." Ginny looked in the direction of the three other girls they shared a room with. Lisa nodded her head and they climbed into their beds and waited. 

Finally the calm breaths of the other girls told them they were fast asleep. "So?" Lisa said. 

Ginny turned her head to face Lisa and began her story. She explained the many instances when Draco had come up behind her, pushed her down, humiliated her. She ended with the experience in the hall, which still gave her shudders thinking about it. 

"But he's like that with everyone." Lisa justified. 

"No, he's not!" Ginny paused to collect her thoughts. "He may tease everyone, but with them he just waits for an opportunity to come along. With me it's like he seeks me out with the purpose to hurt me. I'm afraid of what he'll do." A small tear glistened on Ginny's cheek. 

"I've heard about this before." Lisa sat up, almost excited. "Remember last week in Divination? Trelawney told us about past lives and destinies? She said that two people who have overly strong emotions towards one another bind themselves together for ages always meeting each other in other lives. Just like bitter enemies and true loves." 

"Man, I'd hate to be Malfoy's bitter enemy for an eternity." Ginny said. 

"We could find out. Maybe if you are bitter enemies you can resolve the wrongs of past lives so you won't continue on." Lisa said. 

"How?" Ginny asked. 

"Well we'd have to break into Trelawney's office. She has this mirror in there that shows the person who looks into it their past lives." 

"Great, Trelawney hides in her office all day!" Ginny sighed. "How are we going to get her out?" 

There was a short space of silence before Lisa said, "I'll tell her I need help with deciphering an omen I've seen on the grounds and while we're outside you can go in and get it. We'll put it back when we're finished." Lissa reassured. 

"What if we're caught?" Ginny asked. 

"We won't be caught." Lisa said. "This will be so much fun." 

They both drifted off to sleep, one feeling confidant, the other full of butterflies. 

* * *

All Ginny had to do was avoid Draco for the next two days until Friday. That's when Lisa and her would act. It wasn't difficult; Lisa simply followed Ginny wherever she went. On two occasions they noticed Draco following them, but he soon gave up the chase. 

Friday came along and Ginny followed Lisa up to Trelawney's tower. Ginny hid herself behind a large vase as Lisa went up to distract Trelawney. The minutes ticked by and Ginny began to worry that the plan hadn't worked. That's when she heard voices nearby, followed by two people climbing down the ladder. 

"Well, dear, of course I'll help you decipher the omen." Trelawney's airy voice was heard. "But from the sounds of it, I'd say it wasn't good at all." 

"That's why I need your help, Professor, so I can know for sure." Lisa said. 

Ginny waited until she could no longer hear their retreating footsteps before entering the tower room. Ginny looked around, trying to adjust her eyes to the darkness. The room was filled with the usual tables and chairs. Towards the back of the room was a small door. Ginny opened it and saw that it was a small storage room filled with many strange things. A few broken gazing balls were off to the corner, along with an array of tea cups. In the very back was the thing Ginny was looking for. 

The mirror wasn't like any mirror Ginny had seen. Its depths were clouded and a blue shimmer was emitting from it. Ginny grabbed a shawl nearby and swung it over the mirror and picked it up. Carefully she climbed down the stairs and out into the corridors. She let out a sigh of relief once she was far from the tower. Once she was in her room, out of site from prying eyes, she gave a sigh of relief. She propped the mirror on the top of a desk, but dared not uncover it. She waited for Lisa to return, pacing around the room hoping they hadn't been caught. 

"Did you get it?" An exhausted Lisa asked coming into the room. 

Ginny nodded her head and pointed towards the mirror. Lisa ran over to it and took the shawl off then gasped. 

"It's beautiful!" She whispered, inching her fingers along the frame. 

"It gives me the creeps." Ginny voiced. 

"Ok," Lisa began, disregarding Ginny's concerns. "You stand in front of the mirror and look into its depths. I'm not exactly sure what's supposed to happen, but from what I read it goes through your past lives, one at a time, from the first to the most recent. I think I remember Trelawney say that when you gaze into the mirror time stops for you." Lisa paused, "Well, go for it!" 

Lisa positioned Ginny in front of the mirror. "Now remember, you have to find out why Draco hates you so much…if he's in your past lives." 

"Will he look the same?" Ginny quickly asked. 

"There's supposed to be familiar features…I bet he'll have that stupid smirk plastered across his face. And you, well, you have that birthmark on your ankle." 

Ginny's heart began to race. She was afraid to look into the mirror and began by fixing her eyes on the frame. It looked like it was traced in ancient runes—never had she wished more profusely that she had taken Deciphering Ancient Runes than then. The wood was old and dark; it looked at is if it was once painted a dark blue, but the paint was chipped in many places. Finally her eyes rested on the cloudy surface. The blue light appeared again, more brighter. It grew and grew until Ginny thought it was going to fill the whole room and then she felt a sort of dizziness and voices from far away. The voices got louder and her dizziness persisted until she finally blacked out. 

(A/N: Argh, I had made a graphic for the title, but ff.net apparantly doesn't like that! Soooo, if you want to go see the wonderful graphic i made starring Alex Band from The Calling and some girl from a vogue website, go to It's so beautiful!!!) 


	2. Chapter 2: Anukaya

**Forever With You**

Chapter Two: Anukaya

"Anukaya. Queen Anukaya, wake." 

The woman on the bed slowly opened her eyes and looked across the faces looking down on her. There were two young girls with cinnamon brown skin, their hair plaited down their backs and their eye makeup was thick and black. The third was a man with a look of concern on his pale features. His hair was dark and reached his shoulders, his chest was bare and the linen around his waist was as white as snow. 

"Wh—what happened?" Anukaya asked, trying to sit up. 

"Queen Anukaya," One of the young girls gently pushed Anukaya back down. "You are not well and you need your rest." 

Anukaya let herself be pushed back into the scented sheets. It was warm in the room and the smell of exotic flowers drifted in through the window. Looking up she noticed that the two young girls were busy cleaning up red stained sheets that were on the floor. The man looked from the sheets, then to Anukaya as realization dawned on her face. 

"My baby!" She began screaming. "Where's my baby? I want my baby!" Anukaya started to get out of bed but fell into the man's arms. 

Her body was exhausted and taxed from the birthing. The two girls quickly left the room with the traces of the previous horrific scene. Anukaya was placed in bed again, visions of death dancing across her mind. She reached her hand up and grabbed the arm of the man. 

"Kye, please tell me—tell me…I need to know." Anukaya looked up into Kye's unusual silver gray eyes. 

Kye looked down at his Queen and frowned and Anukaya knew. She let go of Kye's arm and rolled over in her bed. She wanted to cry, wanted the tears to flow to show her sorrow but there was nothing left. She had cried at the death of her first two babies and it was beginning to feel like she was trapped in a nightmare. 

"How is Pharaoh?" Anukaya whispered. 

"He is down at the temple having the preparations begin." 

Anukaya pictured her newest baby wrapped in linens and placed in her tomb along with her two other children. Her first child had lived a full week before his life seeped out and her second only lived a day. People were beginning to talk. She couldn't produce an heir and some thought Pharaoh should find a wife who could. 

"How—how did he seem?" Anukaya asked. 

"Pharaoh was saddened by the loss of his third son and is ready to begin again." 

Anukaya gave a strangled whimper. She knew Pharaoh loved her and would never seek another wife. He even refused to take on concubines. She turned over and stared up into Kye's face again. She took his hand and grasped it. 

"Thank you, Kye." Sleep overcame the Queen as her eyes shut out the room from site. 

Kye bent down next to his Queen and brought her hand to his lips. 

~*~*~ 

The marble floor sparkled in the sunlight and the air was thick with incense. Anukaya was walking down the long corridor, her sandals clicking on the floor. Her two servants were following closely behind and those who met her along her way bent slowly down, waiting for her to pass. 

She came upon two closed doors guarded by two strong men with spears in their hands and swords in their belts. They opened the door for their Queen and she stepped inside a brightly lit room. Pharaoh was sitting on his throne and seated to his right was Kensung, his advisor. Before him were his generals and ambassadors. 

"Ah, my Queen!" Pharaoh stood and outstretched his arms. 

Anukaya motioned for her two servants to stay by the door, then she walked into her husbands arms. 

"I'm glad to see you are feeling well." He whispered into her ear before sitting her to his left. "And now, men, where were we?" 

"My Pharaoh," One of the men in front of him continued the previous conversation. "Our armies in the north are in need of defenses. Supplies are running short and lives are being paid for our foolish attempts at trying to take the northern countries by sea." 

"Pharaoh, if I may." Another man interjected, waiting for the approval of his king to continue. "What Ajani says is true. Our defenses are falling but it is not too late, my lord, to send a reinforcement." 

The Generals and Ambassadors felt that their point had been carried forth, and in silence awaited an answer to their troubles. Pharaoh leaned towards his right, giving his ear to Kensung. Anukaya sat tall and erect in her chair, not letting curiosity take over, but desperately wanting to know what her husband was being told. A few minutes of silent conversation between the two men, and Pharaoh arose from his seat. 

"I have made a decision." He said, holding his hand up in the air. "It pleases me to take the countries that lie on the northern borders of our kingdom and we will not fall back." The group of men stirred in anxiety. "Our last report of their situation is a month old, and therefore I call for a runner to go directly to our armies and to return with word of how our forces fair. That is all." 

Pharaoh sat back on his throne, dismissing the group with a wave of his hand. Anukaya could sense the frustration emitting forth from these men and wondered why her husband was not taking more immediate action. She watched as a servant appeared at Pharaoh's feet, announcing the priests that were scheduled to meet with him. 

The day passed thus, Pharaoh being advised and in turn advising. He met with an array of people and classes and as soon as the sun reached its zenith in the sky, he dismissed his court and prepared to take an afternoon meal. 

"My wife." Pharaoh smiled, taking Anukaya's hands in his own. "Come, let us rest." 

Hand in hand, they journeyed from the throne room and down the long corridors to the royal chambers. Pharaoh deemed it a perfect day to eat outside, and had the food placed on a table in the courtyard that was adjacent to their sleeping chambers. There were plants and flowers that gave off perfumes, and two small girls fanned the Pharaoh and his Queen as they ate of sweet meats and fresh fruit. 

"My lord, I ask leave to journey to the place of my birth." Anukaya said abruptly, not daring to look into his eyes. 

"And why is that?" Pharaoh asked, as if he were talking to a child. 

"I fear I have upset the gods in some way and must make amends. I will participate in the rituals of forgiveness and ask that I be able to give you a son." 

"There are many temples here, why not stay?" 

Anukaya hesitated before answering, "I believe that whatever offense I have done towards the gods, must have been while I was young, and therefore I need to seek out the reason for my punishment, in the city of my birth." 

Anukaya watched her husband think over her request. She thought he almost looked as if he didn't know what to do, and saw that he leaned slowly to his right, then stopped suddenly. 

"I must think this through." Pharaoh said, then begged leave from his wife, and left. 

~*~*~ 

Anukaya paced the floor in front of her bed, glancing at the fresh linens where once there was so much blood. She was confused as to why she was cursed and blamed herself for all of it. She had been raised to become the wife of an important political figure, and instilled in her vulnerable mind were her many duties; obey without question, serve without guile, and provide heirs. She had obeyed her husband, which wasn't hard—he was so loving. She served him with all the tenderness a wife could and yet still there was no young child of hers running around, laughing as if he were the center of the world. 

As of lately Anukaya had began to go through her life, wondering what she could have done to deserve this. She was chosen by Pharaoh at the tender age of fourteen to be his wife. He was ten years older than she, but that was the custom. He was twenty four and still held the strengths and charisma of his youth. He had been trained as a General in the army and had worked along side the men of his country. Anukaya had thought him attractive, and having no previous claims on her heart, was thrilled when Pharaoh chose her to be his wife. 

But there was something wrong. Deep inside Anukaya knew she did not love Pharaoh. She thought of him as a dear friend whom she was bound to spend the rest of her life with, and perhaps the eternity to come. And recently she noticed great changes in her husband. He no longer thought for himself, but rather yielded to Kensung. There was something about her husbands advisor that disturbed her. His eyes leered and his teeth bared. She caught him on numerous occasions staring at her, sizing her up, but she was too afraid to let anyone know of her unfounded fear. 

Now, at nineteen, Anukaya was determined to rid herself of this curse. She would go to her mother and confess she did not love her husband. The problem would be remedied, she'd pay homage to her gods, and hopefully within the next two years she would give birth to a healthy baby boy. 

Anukaya's pacing was cut short as she heard the door open. A messenger came into the room, bowed, then, while eyes cast towards the floor, related the message he was sent to give her. 

"Pharaoh says you are permitted to take leave of the palace for the space of two months, at which time you will return. You are to take your serving girls, a messenger boy, and your protector." The small boy, who could not be more than ten, exited, still hunched over, and left Anukaya in silence. 

The many rich and costly things that belonged to the Queen were packed carefully in trunks made of rich wood. She would sail down the Nile, the lifeblood of the country, on a large barge. She would port in her home city and stay with her parents. She packed the things of her serving girls, thankful to take a few people with her that were from the palace. Kye had been acting strange as of late and being her protector was commanded by the Pharaoh to follow his Queen. Anukaya could tell by his jittering movements that he was always deep in thought and desperate to speak with someone, but dismissed the notion immediately. 

Anukaya came up to him the evening before they were to leave and asked if there was anything wrong. They were in the large courtyard in the center of the palace where the royal court would often go to pass the time by playing games or talking amongst themselves. At the late hour it was deserted except for a few passing servants. Torches burned hot around them, giving just enough light for them to see where they were stepping. They were sitting at the edge of a garden and were presently staring up into the heavens. 

"Kye, I know there is something wrong." Anukaya said, dismissing his previous attempts at reassuring his Queen that all was well. 

Kye was silent, his eyes intent upon the heavenly orbs shining down on them. 

Anukaya began again. "You do not wish to go." 

Kye took his eyes off of the brilliant stars, but found them again in the eyes of his Queen. Their light reflecting in her liquid eyes was more than he could bare. He stood up, taking his gaze off of Anukaya. 

"My Queen, I am commanded to protect you and I shall." He said in one quick breath. 

Anukaya stared at the form in front of her. Kye was unusually pale next to the others of her country, which caused a surreal light to reflect off of his skin, coming from the moon. Kye could not have been more than a year or two older than herself, and he already positioned himself in the world as the Protector of the second most important person in the land. He had been with the Queen since he was sixteen, already having distinguished himself as the strongest and most up to the job. His body was well formed, muscles well tuned. Every inch of him screamed the hours and days and years he had spent training his body for fighting, and the Queen noticed this all at once. 

Anukaya slowly stood up and brushed her hand down his back, starting from his left shoulder blade, ending at the small of his back. She could feel his muscles tighten and react to her touch, her own body calling out for more. Kye stood still and firm, hoping this moment would end, wishing it would last a lifetime. Anukaya removed her hand from his skin, seeing Kye jerk back a little in objection. She raised her hand to the black wig and slowly pulled it off of his head. 

Anukaya gasped. Males, in tradition, shaved their head and donned perfectly formed black wigs, but Kye must not have shaved recently for there was a tuft of silvery blonde hair on his head. Anukaya rubbed her fingers in the soft hair, then realization hit her. 

"You're from the north!" She meant it as a sort of scream, but it came out as a sharp exhale of breath. 

Kye turned to explain, but before the words could exit his mouth Anukaya had fled from the scene, ashamed at what she had done. 

~*~*~ 

The moment in the garden was not referenced to the whole entire day. Anukaya lounged in a makeshift bed, watching her people from her barge. The smell of fish filled the air, along with the waterweeds. The rhythmic paddling of the water would surely lull the Queen asleep, but she forced her eyes open. 

The sun was blazing down on the waters, and the two servant girls fanning their Queen looked longingly at the children on the shore who splashed in the water. The sweat glistened on their skin and they occasionally swiped at the flies that were beginning to attract. 

Kye stood silent a few feet away towards the front of the barge. His arms were crossed across his chest, his legs held a steady stance. Anukaya found her eyes wondering to his frame more than once. 

"Bring me some wine." Anukaya ordered one of the servants. 

She quickly obeyed and carefully poured a cup of wine and handed it to her Queen. Anukaya drank from the cup and handed it back. 

"Kye, will you not take of the wine?" She asked. 

"No, my Queen." Was the reply. He hadn't even turned. 

"You will surely faint," She sat up. "Come, Kye, and take refuge in the shade." 

Kye turned. "My duty is to watch over you. I will stand guard until we are safely in your parent's home." 

Anukaya laid back down and welcomed the sleep that overcame her. When she awoke the sun was just setting, filling the sky with pinks and purples. The barge was emptied of its passengers and they were directed towards the home of Anukaya's parents. The Mother was tall and slender, her skin dark as ebony. The Father was just as tall, thought a little round in the middle, his skin was a light tan. Both parents received their daughter with cordiality, and retired before the dinner meal. 

The room in which Anukaya would sleep was richly decorated in silks and gold, showing that the family was wealthy. She rubbed her skin with perfumed water before looking into the mirror. Her reflection showed that she was a very beautiful woman with large round eyes, and sumptuous lips. Her skin was a dark tan and her wig draped down to her shoulders in strait locks. Her headdress was gold with precious stones scattered across it and her necklace and bracelets were the same. 

As she reflected on her beauty she compared herself with Kye. His skin was so much lighter, she wondered why she had never suspected him being from the north. As her thoughts wondered to the night in the garden she blushed deeply, then berated herself. 

"You are Queen," She told her reflection. "You will command your feelings!" 

After dinner Anukaya was taken aside to a private room so she could converse with her mother. The elegant woman was dressed in green silks and regarded her daughter from a lounging chair. 

"What is it, my daughter, that has brought you back to us?" She asked in a stately voice, showing no personal feelings. 

"I have given birth, Mother, and my child has died." Anukaya looked down at her hands, afraid to look into her mother's eyes. 

"Three babies…" She trailed off. 

"What have I done?" Anukaya looked up swiftly, tears filling her eyes. "The gods are punishing me, I know, but I know not the evil I have done them. Advise me, Mother, and save your people." 

"You are aware of no evil?" Her mother raised an eyebrow. 

"I—" Kye's skin felt so smooth under her touch. "I fear I was on the verge of treason." 

Anukaya's thought of telling her mother about the scene in the garden with Kye, but it wasn't necessary. Her babies' death occurred before she committed that sin. She shook her head at her mother. 

"Then we will make preparations tomorrow to go to the temple. I have just the thing that will fix this." 

Anukaya eyed her mother, wondering what "thing" would fix all this. But she had come to her mother for an answer, and tomorrow she would hopefully be rid of this curse and produce the long awaited heir to the kingdom. 

~*~*~ 

That night Anukaya's dreams were filled with terrors. She relived the birth of all three babies, their small bodies drifting off into oblivion. A dark shadow passed across her dreams as one by one each baby died. The shadow closed around her and threatened to take her life as well. This nameless shadow crept closer and closer until there was no more light. 

Drenched in sweat, Anukaya screamed out into the night, awaking herself. Her eyes shot open and she saw that she was sitting up in her bed. Her eyes darted across the room, certain the shadow was close at hand, but she was alone. Shafts of moonlight illuminated the room. Anukaya wiped the sweat from her forehead and tried to control her breathing. 

"What is wrong?" She asked aloud as she began to weep. Her weeping turned to painful crying and thus she passed the night. 

~*~*~ 

"Did you sleep well, my daughter?" 

Anukaya looked up at her mother, searching the eyes gazing at her. She nodded her head, then looked away. 

They were on their way to the temple, both being carried in lavishly decorated carts by servants. The sun was blindingly bright and hot upon Anukaya's skin. The peasants from the village came out to see their Queen. She watched them smile up at her, shouting praises in her name. Along side her walked Kye, his eyes also searching the crowd for potential threats. 

The temple rose in front of them in tall towers of alabaster. Paintings on the wall showed the elite worshiping the gods, offering sacrifices. They were let down in front of the temple doors and were escorted within by the priests. The cool air inside was a welcome to the Queen. The narrow passage was lit by torches, the sound of a dozen pairs of feet on the ground was the only noise. They stopped outside of a doorway that was draped in fabric. 

"I will prepare the way, daughter, and you will enter when I call you." 

Anukaya watched her mother pass through the doors and waited. The curtain was lifted up and she entered. 

The room was stifling hot, their were half a dozen torches lighting every dark corner. Her mother stood in front of an alter, a knife in her hand. She handed the knife to Anukaya and placed her in front of the alter. Anukaya had given sacrifices before, but not sense she was married. Along being raised to marry a noble, she was also raised to become a priestess if the first plan did not pan out. She had spent months inside the temples, performing menial tasks, and had once offered a fatted calf. 

Her mother exited the room, leaving Anukaya alone for a few minutes. She returned carrying a bundle in her arms. The bundle began to move and Anukaya wondered what animal she would be giving to the gods in order for her curse to be lifted but she was not prepared at what she did see. 

Her mother took the cloth off of the bundle and a baby was left in her arms. Anukaya's eyes widened at the site. Did her mother expect her to sacrifice this baby? She watched as her mother placed the infant on the alter, then step back. 

"Now repeat the prayers." Her mother said in a calm and steady voice. 

Anukaya looked at her mother and then to the baby, her eyes finally resting on the knife in her hand. "What are you asking me to do?" 

"Daughter, you must give freely to the gods, and they will give in return. Now sacrifice the child." 

"Where did you find this baby?" She watched as the baby began to cry and kick out with its little legs. 

"It's just the child of a slave, Anukaya." 

The child of a slave, but still a child. A helpless infant who must have been wrenched from its grieving mothers hands. Anukaya had visions of her own three babies that had been taken from her. Her grip on the knife lessened as she felt the heat from the room overtake her. 

"I can't…" She said, and the knife slipped from her hand and fell. 

The blade caught her ankle and she could feel the warm blood seep from the open wound. All she remembered was sinking to the floor as the blackness overwhelmed her. 

A heavy fever had taken her and in her sickness she was delusional. She held her arms out as if to receive a child and raged in bitter agony when none came to her. She screamed out in her sleep, her body convulsing, twisting the sheets. Kye stood by her side and refused to leave his Queen. He'd watch as physicians administered drugs to calm her and draw the fever away. On the third night it was decided she would return home and preparations were made for the departure. 

The fever seemed to have lessened, leaving the young Queen weak and vulnerable. She would wake for an hour or so, then drift off into welcome sleep. By the time they reached the palace she was strong enough to stand and walk but she was immediately placed in bed, and instructed to rest. 

As morning approached Anukaya awoke and the first thing she saw was Key sitting in a chair, his head in his hands. She slowly sat up and called out to him. 

"My Queen, you are well?" He asked, quickly standing and moving towards her side. 

"Yes, Kye, I am well." She paused. "Where is Pharaoh, I wish to speak with him." 

"Pharaoh left yesterday to the north. He was advised to assess the needs of his army." 

"And Kensung?" 

"He has stayed, ordered to supervise in Pharaoh's stead." 

A quick flash of fear showed in her eyes causing Kye to ask worried questions. 

"I am alright, I believe." Anukaya bit her lower lip. 

"My Queen, what has happened?" Kye persisted. 

"Would you think less of me, Kye, if I admitted that I am weak? Too weak to save my people and my husband?" 

"You are the strongest woman I have ever known." Kye took her hand in his and squeezed it gently. 

"No…no I'm not." Her eyes began to fill with tears as she told her story. "I could not sacrifice that child. I looked into its eyes and saw my own babies looking back at me. I did not want to deprive a woman her child because I could not keep my own. I fear I have been cursed and I will admonish Pharaoh to banish me and seek another wife." 

"You will give Pharaoh a child and you need not be banished." Kye said. "You will overcome your trials and prevail. I know you…I know you will." 

Anukaya looked into Kye's eyes and saw them overfill with love. No one had ever looked at her thus, not her parents or even her husband. The warmth coming from his hand sent chills down her body. She needed Kye now, to console her and to love her. She moved closer to him, slowly, afraid he would be startled if she made a sudden movement. She brought her lips to his and that seemed to have broken the barrier that was between them. 

As the two lovers shared each other, a dark shadow left its spying place, evil thoughts already forming in its mind. 

~*~*~ 

It was evening and Anukaya was preparing to take her meal. She dressed luxuriously, spraying perfume on her bare arms, applying her makeup gracefully. She bent down to tie her sandals to her feet when she noticed something on her ankle. A small mark that looked like an arrow pointing downwards. She rubbed her finger across the embossed skin and then remembered how it had gotten there. The knife had cut her, and this was the mark. For a swift moment Anukaya's vision was blurred by blue smoke and she thought she saw a young girl in front of her, with long red hair. Just as quickly as the vision had come, it had ended. 

"You look beautiful, my Queen." A dark voice startled her. She straightened up and saw Kensung enter her chamber. 

"Thank you." She replied calmly. 

"I would like to think you took your time on my behalf." He raised his eyebrows. 

"I have not finished, now kindly wait outside my chambers." She said, although a little faulty. 

"Well, I see my Queen only favors the lesser help." Kensung inched closer, enjoying the look of surprise on Anukaya's face. "I have longed for you ever since I entered this palace, only to lose to a mere boy." 

"Leave now and I will forgive you your trespass." Anukaya pointed her hand towards the door but she didn't expect him to take it. 

Her wrist firmly grasped in his fist, he tightened his squeeze enjoying the moan of pain. He brought her body close to his and inhaled her perfume. 

"I will have you, my Queen." He stated, fear taking over Anukaya's body. 

"All I have to do is scream and you will be killed." Anukaya threatened. 

"I somehow doubt that." He sneered. "Come with me!" 

Kensung roughly pulled Anukaya with him as he walked through the palace. The corridors were oddly quiet and empty. Anukaya wished someone, anyone, would show themselves so she could order them to apprehend her abductor, but no one came. They passed the royal living quarters, and into the servants. Anukaya had never been here before, as she noticed the passages were narrower. They stopped outside a wooden door and Kensung opened it, shoving Anukaya inside. 

On the floor in front of her was Kye, laying still and silent. She bent down to his side, forgetting where she was or that Kensung was hovering over her. Kye was still alive, but he seemed to be in great agony. He tried to tell her something, but words failed him. 

"What have you done to him?" Anukaya glared at Kensung from the floor. 

"I gave him some poison that is slowly eating away his flesh from the inside out. He will be dead within the hour and I thought you might want to say goodbye." He smiled. 

"I will have you killed!" Anukaya lashed out at Kensung, scratching his flesh, kicking at his legs. 

"On the contrary, I will have you to myself. Once the country mourns the death of their beloved Pharaoh, I will be made ruler in his stead and you will sit besides me as my Queen." 

"Never!" Anukaya spit in his face. 

Kensung pushed her to the floor and she fell, bruising her thigh. Kye looked up into her eyes, still trying to speak but his mouth was oozing blood. Anukaya brought her hand to his face, mourning over their lost love. That was when Kensung pushed her away from Kye. She was brought to her feet then swung across a small bed. Kensung fell on top of her and his slimy hands roamed her body. Anukaya's salty tears fell into her mouth, and no matter how much she fought back, Kensung was too strong for her. 

All of a sudden Kensung stopped. His body lay motionless on top of hers. She pushed him off of her and noticed the dagger sticking out of his back. Kye was standing over the body, his hand bloodied. Anukaya wasted no time and rushed to him before he fell to the ground. 

"I love you!" She cried, cupping his face in her hands. 

She didn't need to hear the words, for she saw the look in his eyes. His body began to shake and she lowered him onto the bed. She clasped his hands in her own and sat with him as slowly he began to drift away, the life leaving his eyes and limbs still. When she was certain he was dead she pulled the wig off of his head and ran her fingers through his hair one last time. She planted a gentle kiss on his forehead, then stood up. 

The scene before her was too much for her to bare. Two dead bodies, and she was left. She was certain she was cursed, and wished to leave this mortal world behind, to follow Kye into the next. A sudden hope welled within her. She searched the room for anything she could write with and saw a sheet of papaya parchment and a quill. She knew the written language, had been taught by the priests. She wrote down what had happened and confessed her weaknesses. As soon as that was completed she took the knife from Kensungs' back and pointed it towards her heart. 

"I will follow you, my love, to the ends of the earth." And with that she thrust the knife, aiming true, and fell. 


	3. Chapter 3: Genevive

(A/N: Hey, thanks for all your reviews. Now you konw why I put my other fanfic on hold! Just to let you guys know, yes, the second chapter did take place in Egypt, thought I never used the name of the country. I just didn't feel it was necessary. But this chapter needs some explaining. I wanted this to take place during the Renaissance so I tried to find some research on it, but couldn't find much to help me, so I'm flat out going to tell you, this takes place in the fifteenth century, and I will now go on with the next century! Ciao!)

**Forever With You**

Chapter Three: Genevive

Ginny's mind floated in a sea of thoughts. What had she just seen? It felt like she was actually there—she was Anukaya! Was that one of her past lives? The mirror faded the image of the palace, that she had just been in, twirled in the blue smoke only to reveal another scene. Before Ginny could comprehend what was happening she was again sucked into image in front of her. 

~*~*~

Genevive looked around at the countryside outside of the carriage. All she saw were vast expanses of fields with a solitary tree dotting the horizon and the misty shade of mountains. She frowned at what she saw then returned her head inside of the carriage. 

"What is it, daughter?" Asked the man sitting across from her. 

His hair was dark and curled much like Genevive's. He had the look of a Spaniard about him and his beautiful hair and pert mouth were all that Genevive had inherited from her Father. She had received her mother's round, heavy lashed eyes that were tinted a shade of green, the small nose, firm forehead and high cheekbones. She missed her mother, but dared not express the feeling for fear her father would sink into a stupor. 

"Nothing, Papa." She replied. 

"I know you are sad to leave France—it was the only home you knew—but I believe I am doing what's best by removing us from that country and returning to Spain. My people will become yours and we will start anew." Ferndnand smoothed out his slim moustache and goatee. 

Genevive gave a great sigh, then contented herself with picturing what their new home would be like. She knew they could not have a richly decorated home like they had in France, for her father was stripped of money and title long ago. She remembered him saying he used to be a Duke but some misfortune met his family and he had to run or be ruined. He made France his new home where he met, wooed, and married a rich young woman, youngest daughter of a Marquis. They had lived happily and rejoiced in the birth of their first child, but after seventeen long years of joy fate decided to deal them a card of tears. The mother died tragically and soon after Ferndnand took his daughter away and here they were. 

The carriage rocked back and forth along the bumpy road, making it a very uncomfortable ride. Genevive hoped that they would reach the city before long. 

"Ah, we are here." Her father smiled. 

Genevive watched through the window and she saw a great wall protecting an even greater city within. Frowning, Genevive looked at the poor architecture. Nothing could compare with the gothic structures of Paris, she thought, and she yearned for home. 

The carriage passed through the gates and roamed the city until it stopped outside a small dwelling. Genevive was handed out by her Father and she straightened the lace collar around her neck and smoothed the flounces of her skirt. She stepped nimbly over the upturned cobbles of the street until she came to the entrance of a small courtyard. 

"I have procured this lodging," He said holding his hand up to the structure. "It is not like home, but it will do for us." 

Ferndnand opened the gate and allowed Genevive to pass through. She looked back and saw the driver of the coach begin to unload hers and her Father's trunk. Ferndnand helped him carry the trunks to the courtyard, paid the man, and watched with his daughter as the carriage rode away through the mass of people. He closed the gate, blocking out the view of the outside, and escorted his daughter inside. 

~*~*~ 

Genevive sat looking out the window at the people below on the street. Her fingers strummed the windowsill and she longed to get out. They had been there a month and she was only permitted to leave the house for Mass with her Father. She wore veils of black to match her mourning clothes, and looked at the tinted world, wishing to be apart of it. 

Many people of the area had watched the middle aged man and the woman in black come to Mass often and wondered what their relationship could be. No amount of bribing could bring their only servant to reveal what she had gleaned, for she was a mute. Ferndnand had found her out of a happy chance, paid her well, and instructed her to watch Genevive. 

The rustling of skirts took Genevive from her window and through the door came Maria, their servant. She looked to be not much older than Genevive, but she was not pretty nor elegant. She came bustling into the room holding a tray of food and set it on the table. She walked over to Genevive and smiled. She noticed the sad longing on the girls face and frowned in sympathy. 

"Thank you, Maria." Genevive said for the food. 

Maria sat next to Genevive holding up the book that lay forgotten beside the sad girl. She held it for Genevive to see. 

"I do not feel like studying my Spanish. It's an atrocious language and I refuse to speak it." She stood up and walked towards the food. She sat at the small table and moved the meats and vegetables around with the fork. "I miss France." She sighed. "If I ever go back I'll take you with me, Maria. You understand French as if you were French. I miss the fairs and the jousting and the jugglers in the street. I've even been to the Kings court and danced with many lords." 

Maria ran her hand through the girls long tresses, which were only dressed on Sundays. Genevive didn't have the heart to dress properly, for she'd be seen by no one except Maria and her Father. 

"I wish I knew what Father was up to." Genevive said, putting down her fork. "I can tell by the way his eyes are set on some unseen object, and the way he paces when he thinks I do not know, that he has a plan of some sort. He has taken up fencing again, after Mama told him she did not like it…" Genevive stopped, remembering her mother was too painful. 

Maria caressed Genevive's cheek then pointed her in the direction of the food that was quickly growing cold. Genevive ate, though she had no appetite, then waited until her Father would return. She saw him coming into the court yard an hour later, but something was different. He walked with a purpose, nearly running towards the door of the house. Genevive knew instinctly that he was rushing to come and tell her some news, so she waited, picking up her Spanish book so he'd think she was being a good daughter. The door was swung open with such force he startled Genevive into dropping the book. 

"Papa!" She said indignantly, angry that he had frightened her. 

Ferndnand rushed to his daughter, a mischievous smile on his face and his eyes twinkled, making him look ten years younger. He grabbed both her hands in his, kissed each one, then let them drop. 

"I have done it!" He said triumphantly. 

"Have done what, Papa?" Genevive asked, not being able to help the small smile creeping onto her own face. 

"I have secured myself as an instructor in the Villa de Santiago. Finally I shall see justice done." Ferndnand had said the last sentence to himself, and Genevive eyed 

her father questioningly. "Pack your things, we leave tomorrow." 

Genevive never questioned her Father, so by the next day all her things were packed. She had expected having to participate in a sad farewell with Maria, but as she walked down into the courtyard she saw that her servant had a small trunk of her own, wearing clothes fit for travel. She looked at her Father, who smiled and nodded, knowing the thoughts of his dear child. Genevive ran to her Father, gave him a hug, and kissed his cheek. 

They found themselves again in a carriage, but this time rolling away from the city. Maria was sitting with the driver, letting the Father and daughter enjoy some private time. Genevive kept glancing at her Father, willing him to explain all this, but neither spoke nor made gestures. Just as they were out of eyesight of the city, her Father broke the silence. 

"You are probably wondering where we are going, why and what will happen, but being the obedient daughter you are, have self control over your curiosity. Well, you have endured much and I will enlighten you, for you are to play a role in this charade. 

"I will leave out a lot of details, but hope to satisfy your inquiring nature. As you know I left Spain long ago, being disgraced and forced myself into exile. I took refuge in France, met your Mother, and thought my unhappy past behind me. A week before your Mother's death I received a note—you need not know from whom or what it read—but the contents of the note caused me to grow angry, for at the same time my poor wife was dying, thus all my happiness leaving me. When your mother died I had thought we could move back to Spain and try to find a tranquil life, but my anger increased, and my conscience could no longer keep down the impious thoughts within. I took to instructing fencing, knowing I was the best, and soon would be sought after. I was true in my prophecy, for just the other day I had a letter from the Familia Santiago, offering me anything if I would come and instruct their son. I sent a message post haste, telling them I would leave as soon as possible, and arrive the next evening. 

"The Santiago family is very influential in the country and being taken under their roof will ensure safety for the time being. I wrote that I had a daughter who did not like society and refused all company except that of her servant and myself. I need you to play the part of a mourning daughter, fit to be a nun. No matter what happens, you must not befriend anyone you meet. Promise me." 

Genevive looked into the imploring eyes of her Father, not knowing the extremity of what he was saying. "I promise Father." She said, then added, "I don't see how I could else wise, I don't know a jot of Spanish." 

"Oh, Genevive, you are headstrong in your own way. Obstinate, but not boisterous, like your Mother. She ruled my heart without me ever knowing it, letting me pretend I was master." He gave a soft chuckle, then was steeped in his own thoughts. 

The sun was beginning to fade, and just as the last rays of light danced across the land, the carriage stopped outside a large chateau. Genevive put her black veil over her face and followed her Father up to the gates. They were stopped by a few guards, then let enter once her Father announced who they were, followed by Maria. They entered a large courtyard filled with trees and fragrant flowers, but Genevive could barely see in the dark. They entered the chateau and were showed their living quarters. 

"Remember, daughter, befriend no one. I will come to you tomorrow morning before I go." Ferdnand whispered to her before she entered her room. 

Genevive was perplexed by the apparent scheming of her Father, but was too tired to poor over it further. Maria quickly undressed her then saw her into bed. Before the loyal servant left, she stoked the fire, filling new warmth into the dark, cold room. 

~*~*~ 

As promised, Ferdnand visited his daughter the next morning. He meeting was brief, just a simple reminder of the promises made the day before, and leaving instructions for Maria. He then left, telling his daughter he would be back before sundown. 

Genevive ate alone in her room, being served only by Maria. She had been told that she could spend some time in the courtyard, but that Maria must always be near. Genevive did not like these rules, and for the first few days tried to live them, as her father would want her to. True, this courtyard was by far larger than the one they had previous lived in, but the walls were still her prison. She would sit by some fountain amongst the shade of a huge tree, picking flowers or reading some novel while Maria sat a few feet away, bent on her needlework. But soon Genevive grew wrestles. A plan had been forming in her head for some time, and as she sat admiring a small bouquet of flowers, she enacted the first step. 

"Oh, Maria!" She stood up quickly and dropped the bouquet, the flowers scattering on the ground. 

Maria was startled, and dropped her needlework. "What is it?" Her look suggested. 

"I have forgotten my mother's broche in the jewelry box! Oh, I always wear it for it brings great comfort." Here she sat down as if the heat of the sun was too much for her. "Please, Maria, would you go fetch it for me? I do not think I can walk in this heat." 

Maria looked at the chateau, biting her lower lip, trying to decide what to do. She should please her mistress, that's what she was hired for, but the master had told her to keep an eye on her. She looked over at Genevive who looked fit to faint. She slowly nodded her head then dashed to the chateau, leaving Genevive alone. 

"That was easier than I thought it would be." Genevie said standing from her spot. She looked around to make sure no one was about and after straitening her veils to hide her face completely, she stepped away from the fountain and onto a path that led to the outer gardens. 

The gardens inside the courtyard were tediously manicured and Genevive preferred the wilderness outside the imprisoning walls. The chateau was situated on the top of a hill that sloped down gracefully in a sea of tall grasses and colorful wild flowers. At the base of the hill was a small wood and Genevive could see the tinkling reflection of the sun from a small river. She caught her breath at the beauty of it, and without a further moments hesitation she embarked for this new paradise. 

Along the way Genevive picked a flower here and there and tucked them into her bodice. While she was in mourning she was not permitted to wear colors, but she reasoned that God had made these colors, and that she would not be held accountable. When she reached the base of the hill she looked up at the picturesque chateau with the blue sky in the background and smiled, wondering if Maria was frantically searching for her. She gave a small laugh, then continued into the woods. 

The air was much cooler among the shade, and darker. She removed her veil and placed it on her shoulders. 

"Cursed thing," She said of the black lace. "Only the Spanish would think of hiding their women beneath such things." 

Now that Genevive felt free to do as she pleased, she skipped from tree to tree, sitting here while taking apart the petals of a flower, or admiring the beauty that was around her. The afternoon was fastly passing her by, causing her to forget of the time. When she came to the small river she first sat on a smooth rock and basked in the soft rays of light that filtered through the boughs of the trees, while listening to the sounds of the babbling water and the singing of the bullfrogs and crickets. She grew thirsty and neared the stream. She bent down on her knees, and cupped her hands, filling them with water. Just as she was about to take a drink she heard the soft neighing of a horse. 

Genevive stood up, hands dripping and hair coming lose from her bun. A few yards away stood a horse, also taking advantage of such a giving nature. But it wasn't the horse that startled her, it was the man upon the horse. He was looking at her quizzically, as if he wasn't sure what to make of her; was she human or spirit? She was dressed in mourning black, but looked as if she hadn't a care in the world. His quiet observation was interrupted. 

"You intrude upon a lady's privacy, sir." Genevive said in halting Spanish, breaking the trance he was under. 

"I did not know ladies came to drink of the river water." He replied, smiling. 

"I beg you will leave and turn at once." She said firmly. 

He began to laugh and threw back his head, his blonde hair flying in the wind. Genevive narrowed her eyes at this obstinate man. Realizing that he would not leave, she prepared herself. It was time to return, she thought, and she replaced the veil of lace onto her head and began to exit the woods. 

"Excuse me, pray, let me apologize." The man came riding up behind her. 

"No need for barbarians to apologize." She said, not turning around, nor lessening her pace. 

"I will apologize at any rate, and I apologize again and again, fair lady." 

Genevive could feel her cheeks color—she had not been called fair or beautiful in such a long time she had felt that her looks had left her. She was glad that she had her veil; she did not want to give this man the satisfaction of knowing he could affect her in such a way. 

"Do not speak to me, I beg of you." She was determined to leave this man behind in the woods, and not have him follow her. 

"Then may I watch you? I would do anything to see your face once more." 

"Please refrain yourself and leave at once!" Genevive was growing tired from all this walking, but was pleased to see the end of the woods was near. 

"If you are headed to the chateau, I will gladly escort you." After this phrase the sound of something heavy hit the ground and Genevive knew he had dismounted. 

"What is your name?" She asked abruptly, turning around. 

The man had not expected her to turn around so fast, and as he was trying to keep pace with her, that he had nearly collided into her. "Why does m'lady wish to know?" 

"So that I may report you to my father. I am sure that within the week you will be dismissed from whatever duties you perform, and banished from the grounds." 

The boy's face turned to amusement. "You have so much power up there?" Genevive held her head high, defying him with her proud gesture. "I do have a most tedious job in the chateau, but my presence is so much needed, I do not fear dismissal…no matter what it is I do." He paused and looked as if recognition dawned on him. "You are the daughter! I should have known with your French accent, but we have guests from all of Europe at present it did not occur to me that—well, I guess the rumors are true, the little daughter of the expert instructor is beautiful." 

"You talk to me as if I know you and I do not!" Genevive was very angry that rumors about herself were being spread without her knowing. "I demand to know who you are." 

"My name, m'lady, is Paco." This he said in perfect French, with only a hint of an accent. "I train the horses, as you can see." 

Genevive gave a nod of her head, then began her ascent up the hill. She stopped mid way up and turned around to face Paco who was behind her. 

"Please, do not follow me, my father may be watching. He does not wish that I—" Genevive stopped. How could she tell someone that her father made her promise not to speak with any one? 

"Wish what?" It was too late, Paco was already intrigued. 

"He does not wish…for me to leave the courtyard of the chateau." Genevive gave a slight sigh of relief. "He says I will get lost if otherwise." 

"Well then, I take my leave, allowing you to return safely with no scolding from your Papa. But," Here he smiled slyly. "I'd like to meet you again. I've heard that you're not to leave the sight of your maid, but the idea of being watched by her while I see you does not appeal to me. Perhaps we could meet down by the river?" 

"I do not think that is possible." 

"I do not like the idea of knowing that the news of your truancy will probably reach your father…" 

"You would not!" 

"Oh, I would do anything, as I said, to see your face again." 

Genevive stared at the young man before her, sizing him up. He dressed like he had a higher influence in the staff, and perhaps he had. He could easily get to her father and mention the meeting they had just had. "Not tomorrow, though…the day after next." 

"Agreed!" Paco mounted his horse with such enthusiasm, Genevive smiled. He rode off into the horizon, leaving Genevive solitude to think of an excuse she could come up with to first, not get Maria to tell her father, and second, to find a way to meet Paco again. 

~*~*~ 

Maria didn't look happy at all as she saw Genevive enter the courtyard by a hidden gate. A woman like Maria had skill in expressing herself through every look, every gesture, and words were not needed to see that Maria was tired and exhausted and above all, angry. "Where have you been?" Her looks demanded. 

"Maria, I am sorry, but I needed to get out of this confining place. I took a stroll in a small wood below the hill and lost the hour. I thought I would be back before you came, but it was so beautiful and peaceful, and I needed to be alone…please, forgive me and do not tell father." 

Maria's face softened a bit, but she was still mad that her mistress could not tell her of the need for the privacy. She placed a comforting hand on the girls shoulder. 

"I had such a lovely time, Maria, and I was alone and had time to think and to be myself. I love your company, I truly do, but one needs to be alone." Maria nodded her head in agreement. "That is why I would like to go again…alone. Now Maria, do not give me that look! Please, do not deny me this only pleasure. Father would not understand, he feels the need to protect me from the wind itself! I will only be gone two hours at a time and I will pay special attention to the movement of the sun in the sky. Please?" 

Maria narrowed her eyes but in the end relented. She saw no harm in her mistress's plan, and she also could use a couple of hours to herself. Genevive spoke of her plan to go into the wood every other day at noon and return through the gate that was hidden in the wall. Maria only wished that the anxiety on her face would not betray the conspiracy to her master. 

Ferdnand suspected nothing that evening as he ate supper in his daughter's room. He spoke animatedly of his teaching the young master of the house and how well he was at all sports. Genevive told of her quiet afternoon in the garden and even pleased him with her increasing knowledge of the Spanish language. 

"Good, good, my plan is coming along well." He muttered to himself, but Genevive caught the words that she knew were not meant for her to hear. 

Throughout the rest of the meal she would spy her father sinking into sullen moods, as if he were thinking of something of great importance, then he would delve into the conversation as if the shadow had passed. Genevive was quite unsettled and resolved to find the meaning behind her father's duplicity, hoping he would never suspect her own. 

The next day came and found Genevive in a fowl mood. She took to her room and refused to enter the courtyard garden. She did not want to wear the lace veil, it's blackness covering her beauty that she never lost. There are no mirrors in her room, and she desperately wants to see what she had become. She's a young woman, and changes come quickly. Will she be an old woman before she can see herself again? 

Maria sat patiently in the corner, watching as Genevive paced the room; one moment fists clinched, teeth bared, the next collapsed on the floor in a sea of black fabric and lace, a child crying into her hands. Her hair was undone from any restraining buns and twists, and flowed freely in dark masses. She would take strands of hair and smooth them with her fingers in front of her face, admiring the soft gleam. She would then thrust her hair away from herself, disgusted at some thought that Maria never knew. 

She longed to see the boy again, Paco. She wanted to speak with someone, to relate to another human being her age. And she hated herself for these desires. When she was in France it was the men who flocked to her side, bestowing small gifts to win her favor and a glance in their direction. Now she was forced to hide herself from the world and befriend no one. 

"Please don't tell father I've been unpleasant today." Genevive whispered as she stood up from the floor. "He would be worried about me and I feel all I need is some rest." 

Maria nodded her head and prepared her mistress for an early retirement to bed. Once Genevive was safely tucked amongst the sheets, Maria drew the curtains down, blocking out the sunlight, and left her mistress sleeping peacefully. 

~*~*~ 

"I hope you are feeling well." Ferdnand said at breakfast the next day. 

"I am, thank you Father." Genevive responded, giving every impression of a healthy young maiden. 

"Good," He said, standing up from the table. "I shall see you this evening." And with that he left. 

After Maria dressed her hair, Genevive placed the veil over her face and was ready to enter the courtyard. They sat under the same tree by the same fountain; Maria sewing, Genevive reading. Once the sun reached the uppermost part of the sky Genevive stood and walked away from Maria, who looked as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening. Genevive left the garden and entered her paradise. 

There was a slight breeze that afternoon, but Genevive didn't notice anything around her. She went directly to the wood and through it to the river. A small frown crept onto her face when she saw that no one was there, but she sat on a rock and waited. 

"Ah, I had my doubts you would show up." Paco came up behind her and spoke in French. 

"How is it that a horse trainer speaks perfect French?" Genevive questioned, trying to keep a cool air. 

"I spent some time in France and learned it quickly." He merely said, leaning against the nearest tree. 

Genevive sat quiet and still, feeling the quick flutter of her heart as she peered at Paco out of the corner of her eye. He was tall and lean and underneath his clothes his muscles were well defined. She had not seen many Spaniards with light colored hair, but decided it suited him well, just the same. 

"Are you going to keep that veil on all day, Genevive?" He asked. 

"You know my name?" She gasped. 

"I know a lot about you. I have spies that swarm the hill." He bent low to her and smiled. "Again, I would hate to tell your father of your disobedience." 

Genevive took the lace veil by a corner and slowly took it off of her head. She was proud to see Paco smile in satisfaction. 

"One day I would like to paint your portrait." 

"That is impossible." 

"So was meeting you a second time, but look where we are?" He spread his arms out. 

"You are very rude and I do not like your company much." Genevive stood and was about to leave but her arm was grabbed by Paco. 

"I am truly sorry, please, let me apologize." 

"It seems you are well versed in apologies as well as French. Your train horses, paint and compromise young ladies into meeting them in private. Are there any other skills you excel in?" Genevive asked haughtily. 

"Many." He smiled. "I am told I can dance extremely well, write a good verse or two into song and woo any lady I take an interest in." 

Genevive let out a noise of annoyance, and turned on her heel. She did not like the game this man was playing and she would not stay another minute. She made her way towards the hill, followed by an apologetic Paco, but his words fell on deaf ears. Genevive began walking quickly up the hill, not looking exactly where her feet were falling, and she stepped into a hole, falling to the ground. She tried to stand again but a sharp pain shot through her leg. She yelled out as she grasped at her ankle. 

"Allow me to asses the damage!" Paco said worriedly, and he knelt down and took her injured foot in his hand. He removed the dainty slipper and the black stocking, leaving Genevive's foot bare, and face red. His touch was very warm and instantly the pain was vanishing. "No harm done." He smiled up at her face, his hand still on her foot. 

"Kindly give my foot back to me." Genevive said. 

"I do not know what makes feet so attractive." Paco said in response, eyeing her small foot. "Perhaps because women hide them beneath folds of fabric and any peek at a lady's foot is exciting. What's this? A peculiar mark…like an arrow pointing down." 

"I was born with it, now let me replace my shoe—" As she said these words she bent over and with her own hand grabbed at her foot, her fingers brushing against the birthmark. For a moment her vision failed her and in the darkness that followed she could see a small girl with fiery red hair staring at her. She reached out to the girl, but her image was vanishing. 

"Genevive! Wake up!" Paco's words recalled her back to the present. 

"What happened?" 

"You fainted. Hurry, you need to get out of the heat." He carefully replaced her stocking and shoe and carried her up the hill towards the chateau. 

"Wait! You can't take me in! Maria will see and surely tell Papa." 

"But you can't walk in…" 

"Yes, I feel fine now. Let me go alone." 

Paco let her down, still holding her arm in case she felt a fainting spell again. Once she gained her balance, Genevive walked towards the gate alone. 

"Can I see you again?" He called just before she entered the courtyard. 

Genevive paused where she was, "The day after next." Then she disappeared behind the walls. 

~*~*~ 

The pair of them spent every other day together down by the river for the next three weeks. Maria did not suspect a thing, even when her mistress would come back after the two hours looking younger and younger. Ferdnand was so busy with his own thoughts that his daughter's changes escaped him as well. He looked anxious every time he and Genevive dined, as if his plans were quickly coming to a close, but the finishing touches needed work. 

One afternoon, Genevive sat by the water, one hand cupping the cool liquid then let it drip from her hand, while Paco painted her portrait. He brought her a red rose for her to place in her hair, which became her exceedingly well. He stared at the lovely picture in front of him, and then at the model who was even more lovely. While she was busy staring at the water, he studied her features, trying to paint them onto his soul. 

"What is it?" She asked, laughingly, looking up. 

"You are so beautiful." 

Genevive bent her head down, which displeased Paco. He stepped away from his painting and knelt beside her. He clasped her hands in his and looked ardently into her face. 

"Genevive, I feel a strange attachment to you." He began. "When I first saw you kneeling here those weeks ago you looked familiar, as if my spirit knew yours. I felt attracted to you in no way that I felt towards any other woman. My current situation makes me desperate, but I must declare my feelings before I'm bound by honor and duty. I love you, Genevive, and I've loved you since that first day. I've learned everything I could about you and know that your mother was the daughter of a Marquis, which makes you a noble. I know you prefer wild flowers than those in the gardens, and roses are becoming in your hair. You have a passionate soul, but restrain it when duty demands, which shows you also have self control. I thought that a minute ago I must love you as much as I could, but now I feel that love has doubled, and I know it will continue to increase. Please, Genevive, let me make you my bride. I will make you happy and if you are sad I will do anything to see hear laughter in your voice." 

Paco stopped and studied Genevive's reaction. She had listened to his speech in patience, her heart beating faster as he went on, the blood rushing to her cheeks. She had felt love for Paco also, but was afraid he had not felt the same. 

"Yes," She said, tears filling her eyes. "Yes, oh yes! A thousand times yes." Through her veil of tears she began to laugh. 

Paco looked up into the heavens and thanked God that He and sent him this angel. He took her hand gently in his hands and kissed away her tears, and finally ended on her full lips. 

"Darling," He breathed. "For now I can call you darling, and not only in my mind. I have everything planned. Tonight we will meet by the fountain and we will go to the church. The Priest will marry us, and your loyal Maria and my loyal Pablo will be our witnesses. Then we can share the happy news to our families." 

At these words Genevive backed away from his embraces. "My father!" She cried. "He will disown me! He forbade me to befriend anyone! Oh, what he would say if he knew I made a lover!" 

"Do not worry, my darling, I will handle everything. You will live like a Princess!" 

"Oh, Paco, you need not paint an imaginary scene. I am content to live in the riches of your love. I do not need gold to make me happy." 

"Bless you!" He exclaimed, kissing her again. 

"Ooh, I must get ready! I have to tell Maria to alter my white dress and I'll leave a note for Papa so that by the time we are away, as a married couple, he will know my fate and have time to forgive me." 

"Then go, dear. Duty calls me tonight as well." 

The lovers embraced once more before separating. Genevive had the glow of love shining from her face, and it was a sad pity her veil covered the lovely image of the beloved. She met Maria and demanded they go to her room at once. Inside the room Genevive began her story of how she had met Paco and the love that had grown between them. Maria listened with worried ears. 

"Please, Maria, Papa would not understand. I have asked you to be my witness because I love you. I will leave Papa a note so that he will know." 

Maria looked doubtful, but assured her silence. They set to work to alter the white dress that Genevive had not worn in so long. Once that was completed Genevive set to work on a very eloquent letter, written in Spanish, for her Father. The note was short, and signed with a flourish. She took the note in her hand and went to her Father's room. 

The room was set up much like hers, but her Father had a small mirror besides a basin of water in which he used to shave. Curious, Genevive looked at her reflection in the mirror, and admitted she had never looked as beautiful as she did right then. She set the mirror down and searched for a place where her Father would not find the note until the next morning. She went to the writing desk and a pile of papers that looked as if they were hastily hidden in a book caught her eye. Some were addressed from Madrid to France, others addressed from Madrid to Villa de Santiago, all baring the same handwriting. 

Genevive took up the letter that had the earliest date on it—a week before her Mother died. She read the words, new secrets being revealed to her. She read the words again, hoping they would change with a second reading, but they did not. That was when her Father entered. 

"Papa!" She cried. 

"Genevive?" He walked towards her and noticed she had a small folded piece of parchment in her hand. "Is this for me?" Genevive stood motionless as he took the note she intended for him to read tomorrow, and watched as his face changed from happiness to anger. 

"What is this?" He yelled, flapping the paper in front of her. "Did I not make myself clear for you not to befriend any one? Who is this Paco? There are no horse trainers by this name! Who is this man who has fooled my daughter? Answer me!" 

"Papa, please." Genevive began to cry. "I love him and I would love him still even if he were only the blacksmith…nay, even if he only fed the horses." 

"I only know one person by this name and he—" Ferdnand stopped, his eyes widening. "Is this boy tall and slender? With light hair?" Genevive nodded. "No! Not when justice is so near! Must this family always curse me?" 

Ferdnand threw the letter from himself, as if it were a snake about to bite. He paced the floor in an angry rage, one in which Genevive had never seen him before. He would stop in front of his daughter, take note of the love in her eyes, then scream, "Bah!" and pace again. 

"Please tell me what is wrong." Genevive begged, clasping her hands together in front of herself. 

Ferdnand walked up to her, "I will tell you what is wrong! You feel in love with Paco, only he isn't Paco, he's Francisco Santiago, son of Señor Santiago, the man who—the man who—" Ferdnand clutched at his heart and yelled, "The man who killed Katalina, the woman I loved!" 

Ferdnand fell to his knees, crying into the palms of his hands, memories too overwhelming for him to control himself. Genevive knelt in front of him and wrapped her father in her arms. "Tell me, Papa." 

The sobs died down, and Ferdnand told his story to his daughter, "I was twenty one, just came of age, and I loved Katalina. She was only seventeen and very beautiful and loved by many, but none as strong or more passionate as me. She loved me too, and confessed, but I wasn't the only one to hear. Marco was an ardent lover of Katalina's as well, and he bribed her with his many riches and higher title than mine, but she would have none of him. When he heard Katalina admit her love for me, he flew into a rage and challenged me right there. I gladly unsheathed my sword, for I knew I was an expert. Katalina begged me not to kill Marco, and after much coaxing, I withdrew my sword. Marco was persistent and came at me with a dagger. We both had our backs to him, and when we turned around Katalina flung herself in front of the blade, taking the blow that should have been mine. She died in my arms, leaving me only a few hours of life in her love. 

"Marco left as soon as Katalina hit the floor, and he convinced others that I had killed Katalina in a fit of rage because she denied me her hand. I was to be killed, having my title stripped from me, but I fled to France. Katalina's image haunted my mind and I swore vengeance, and thought of nothing else for four long years up until the day I met your mother. She made me forget my unhappy past and taught me to love again. I thought that I was being blessed for the love I lost, by giving me a love I could live with. Then, she began to grow sick, and anger took me again. And in the worst moment of all I received a letter, this letter!" Ferdnand stood and retrieved the letter Genevive had already read. "I kept correspondence with someone who I told to write to me concerning Marco. His life was greatly blessed; a wife, children and now his son was to be affianced to the Princess! I would not stand for it so I came here. My plan worked so far, except you came to love him…Francisco Santiago, the son 

of the man who robbed me of every happiness." 

Genevive let her Father cry some more on her shoulder, and when his crying ceased, she began. "Papa, you have been fortunate to find love in three women, for you have mine as well. I beg of you, Papa, let me love this man. Do not deny me what you had twice." 

"No!" He yelled. "I will not have it! I will not have my daughter marry Marco's son! Never!" 

"Please, Papa. He is not like his Father." 

"We will not stay another night under this roof. Bring what you can carry, we leave tonight…no go!" 

Genevive went to place her hand on her Father's shoulder, but he yelled, "I said go!" 

Her eyes filling with tears she left for her own room. Maria saw the sad look on her mistress' face and knew something had spoilt her happiness. 

"Maria, we are leaving. Papa found out!" She flung herself into Maria's arms and sobbed. Maria wiped away her tears and looked down into her face. "I know, Maria. I must say goodbye at least. What my Father has told me does not permit me to tie myself with his family." 

Maria stood up. "I'll be back." Her looks said, and she left the room. A quarter of an hour later she returned, took Genevive by the hand, and escorted her through the chateau until they reached a large library. Sitting on one of the chairs was Paco, dressed in all his finery, conversing with a few servants. When he saw Genevive enter he dismissed the servants, then ran to Genevive. 

"What is wrong?" He demanded, taking her into his arms. 

"How come you did not tell me you were Francisco Santiago?" She looked into his eyes. 

"Because I wanted you to love Paco…not Francisco Santiago." 

"I fear I cannot marry you." She could feel her eyes began to water again. 

"Do not fear, everything is planned." 

"No, I could have married Paco, the horse trainer, but I cannot marry Francisco Santiago." 

"Why are you being so cryptic?" 

"A long time ago your Father did my Papa a great wrong. Papa came here to avenge himself and I do not doubt something horrible was planned for this family! But he found out today that I loved his enemy's son. He forbids me to marry you, but to ease my heart he will leave your family alone, taking us both far away from here." 

"You must stay!" 

"It's impossible." 

"Nothing is impossible." Paco spoke with such belief, such vigor, that he nearly had Genevive believing him. "Genevive, if you leave I will be forced to marry someone I do not love. Please, once we are married I will leave. We can both leave this place." 

"It is because I love you that I cannot marry you and I must go." She ran from his arms and out of the room, all the way back to her own where she collapsed on her bed. 

~*~*~ 

Father and daughter left before night. Francisco Santiago demanded of every single servant where they had gone, but no one knew. He sent out inquiries but no positive replies reached him. He refused to marry the Princess, causing his Father to confront him with the foolishness he was showing. 

"I do not love her." 

"What does love have to do with it?" 

"I love another." 

"A wench, no doubt. Get over it and marry the Princess." 

"I love a woman who has noble blood. A Marquis for a Grandpère, and her Father was a Duke in Spain until someone framed him for murder." 

"Murder! Her family is tainted and not worth ties." 

"No, Father, our family is tainted, for you are the murderer. Yes, I did a thorough background on the woman I love and the morning of the day I proposed I found out who her Father was, what he was accused of, and knew that you would be enraged enough to kill. I decided to make her mine before her Father thought it necessary to leave." 

Señor Santigo stood speechless. 

"I will search for her, Señor, until I find her. Even if I have to search forever!" 


	4. Chapter 4: Rebecca

(A/N: Ah, another chappy! I do not think I need to explain this one to you, for its time and place will soon be made known to you! Read on! And thanks again for all your reviews! 

**Forever With You**

Chapter Four: Rebecca

Ginny felt the pain of Genevive as if it were her own…it was her own. It was like a memory she had forgotten which was suddenly played out in front of her. She pined for her lost Paco whom she was forced to give up. Before she could cry bitter tears, the scene changed once again. ~*~*~ 

The crowing of the rooster woke the frail girl. The sun had just come up and was shining its brightness into the small room, demanding the girl to set to work at once. She arose slowly and shivered from the cold air. Her white nightdress hung loosely about her body and rustled around her ankles as she walked over the creaking wooden floor to reach the basin. She dipped her hands into the freezing water and shivered as she washed her face, neck and arms. She then dressed in her gray smock, tied the apron around her waist and secured her hair in a tight bun, then covered her head with a white bonnet. 

"Good morning, Uncle." She said as she entered the kitchen and began to prepare the morning meal. 

"Rebecca, you have slept in. Remember that we are taking you in on charity and you must do your work around here." The man was sitting at a chair, cleaning a rifle. "I have brought back a hare so we may eat it for breakfast." 

Rebecca thanked her Uncle and prepared the rabbit for a stew. She watched her Uncle out of the corner of her eye, noticing the dark scraggly hair that hung to his shoulders, and his unkempt beard. He was picking his teeth, and paid no attention to anything else. 

Oh, how Rebecca missed her own parents. She had lived in the southern colonies where it was warmer and life wasn't so strict. It seemed the further north she went, the colder the climate and the colder the folk. Her mother was so beautiful and her Father very handsome. But when they both lay sick they told their daughter they knew they would not make it. She was sent to her mother's sister and her husband's family where she was. She had been there nearly a month and already despised the eldest daughter who was allowed to do as she pleased, while she, Rebecca, did the chores. 

Once the stew was ready she called for the rest of the household to come and sit for breakfast. Her Aunt Mariah had a very stern look about her with a pointed nose and chin and small cheeks. She looked as if she had never laughed a day in her life! Samantha, the eldest daughter was a very vain girl and curled her hair in secret with a pair of hot tongs and feigned fatigue when asked to perform the simplest task. Edward was the youngest boy, about nine. He was Rebecca's only friend for she taught him how to make small animals out of blocks of wood and she would feed him sweets she managed to make when the family was out of the house. 

The family said grace, ate the meal, then went their separate ways. Uncle John went to farm the small plot of land they owned, Aunt Mariah went to a neighbors with Samantha to sit with a sick woman, and Edward went to play with some of the boys from the village. Rebecca was given a list of chores to do, then told to keep herself occupied until lunch. 

She cleaned the dishes, wiped down the table and scrubbed the kitchen floors. She replenished the water in the bedroom basins from a bucket they kept outside to catch rainwater in. Once she was finished she decided to get some fresh air by walking to the afflicted neighbors and seeing if her Aunt needed her assistance. She removed her apron and stepped outside. 

The air had grown warmer, but there was still a slight chill. Rebecca walked down the road, her feet crunching on the gravel, her arms clasped to her sides. It would be a good twenty minutes before she reached the house, so she enjoyed what nature had to offer her. The trees on the side of the road stood tall and imposing while the birds sang their songs in their boughs. Rebecca smiled at seeing a bird fly down ahead of her and peck at the pebbles, searching for edible seeds. 

Soon the house came into site and Rebecca knocked firmly on the door. 

"Who is it?" A voice asked behind the door. The door opened before Rebecca could reply and a small girl stood before her. 

"Hello." She smiled. 

"Hello Elizabeth, is my Aunt Mariah here?" 

The little girl nodded and lead her to the back of the house where the mother lay in her bed, sweating from a fever. Mariah was leaning over the bed as if she were whispering something into the woman's ear and as soon as Rebecca walked in she jumped up quickly. 

"What are you doing here? How long have you been standing there?" She demanded. 

"I came to ask if you needed me to fetch anything. I am finished with my chores and I only just arrived." Rebecca was afraid at the look she was given. 

Mariah stood in thought, then said, "Yes, you can get me a basket of fruit from town. The Thorpes have run out. Here is some money—oh, and take Samantha…she won't stop annoying me with her wanting to go into town." 

Rebecca took the money that was forced into her hands and left the room. She asked the little girl where Samantha was and was then lead to the kitchen where Samantha was sitting at the table, pulling at a lose thread from her dress. 

"My Aunt has asked us to go to town to fetch some fruit for the Thorpes." Rebecca said. 

Samantha looked up, startled. Her blonde hair fell down to her shoulders in the fake ringlets, her bonnet laid on the table beside her. At the mention of going to town her eyes lit up. 

"Really?" She stood up, placed her bonnet on her head, then left the house with Rebecca gratefully. 

The two girls were close in age, Rebecca was younger by a year, but neither found anything in common. While Samantha was always worried about her looks, and getting dirty, Rebecca cared nothing about her looks and enjoyed to do things that sometimes required getting a bit messy. Samantha had friends from surrounding farms and they would play at games, but Rebecca's only friend was her little cousin. 

As they neared the town Rebecca noticed that Samantha kept straitening her frock and side glancing at different groups of people, as if she were looking for someone. Rebecca found it very annoying and began to walk faster. 

"You walk to fast!" Samantha exclaimed. 

"I am sorry but we need to get the fruit and return." 

"We do not have to be in such a hurry. Mother will understand if we are detained a while." 

"Yes, but the Thorpes may not." 

The small market was set up in the town square, surrounding a lovely fountain. Fruits and vegetables were being sold. Under canopies were fabrics and cookware and all sorts of things any colonial family needed to survive and then some. They reached the stalls where fruit were being sold and Rebecca took her time to examine each piece before placing them in her basket. Once it was full she paid the lady, thanked her, then turned around…but Samantha was nowhere in sight. 

"Samantha!" Rebecca called, searching the many faces crowding around her. 

She ran throughout the market, calling her name, but Samantha was still not found. She spied the town hall and noticed that from the steps she would be able to see the whole town square and find Samantha. She dashed towards the hall and began climbing the steps, but her basket fell from her arms and the fruit scattered away. 

"Oh, no!" She cried out as she tried to catch them all. 

She began picking up the fruit and putting it back into the basket, not caring that people were watching and laughing. Once she thought she had it all and checked the ground all around her. That's when she looked up and noticed him. 

It was Thomas Roberts, son of the town Magistrate. He was very tall and in his suit looked handsome. His long blonde hair was tied behind his head with a single strand coming loose and framing his face. He smiled at Rebecca, tossing a red apple up into the air, then catching it. 

"Lose something?" He asked, laughing. 

Rebecca went to grab the apple, but Thomas only backed away and laughed again. 

"Please, sir, give it back." 

A bout of giggles coming directly behind him took her attention away form Thomas and to a small group of girls, Samantha being among them. Her anger increased at seeing that Samantha had chosen to desert her to talk with such silly girls and an arrogant boy. 

"Theft is a crime." Rebecca stated, hoping that he would return the apple, afraid to cause his Father's ill attention to turn towards him. 

"I did not steal this apple. It came to me on it's own free will." He smiled. 

"Oh, Thomas, give her back the apple." Samantha called, tiring of this game. She'd rather have Thomas talking to her than her cousin. 

Thomas sighed, appearing to be annoyed, then threw the apple and watched as Rebecca caught it. 

"I'll be seeing you again." He said in a low tone so only Rebecca could hear. 

"Samantha, we must go." Rebecca called to her cousin. 

"I will be along shortly. Tell my mother I am visiting friends." 

Gladly, Rebecca left the town and made her journey back to the Thorpes'. She entered the house and placed the basket of fruit on the kitchen table then went to the sick room. Mariah was sitting on a chair besides the bed, stitching some clothes. 

"I am back." Rebecca entered the room. 

"And were is Samantha?" Mariah asked. 

"Still in town. She bade me to tell you she is visiting friends." 

"Very well, you may return home." 

Before Rebecca left the room she noticed that Mrs. Thorpe's breathing was irregular and her face was extremely pale. She looked like her mother just before she died. Wishing to flee the gruesome scene before her, she quickly exited the house and ran the rest of the way home. 

~*~*~ 

Mrs. Thorpe's death was announced that night. It seemed no matter what any one did, her health steadily left her and she gave up this world, leaving a grieving family behind. It was said that the children would be sent to relatives and Mr. Thorpe would seek employment in Boston. 

Rebecca had been hit hard by this news for it reminded her so much of her parents' death. It came so suddenly, without warning, and killed instantly. She grew silent and never spoke unless the circumstance called for it. No one seemed to notice, or care that the frail girl would never talk…all except Edward, but no matter what he tried to do to get his cousin to speak, he failed. 

The day of the funereal Rebecca went to the back of the house to return some washed clothing to her Aunt but before she knocked on the partway closed door she heard the sound of two voices talking sternly within. 

"You must do it Jeremy." Mariah was demanding. 

"Mariah, the man just lost his wife and is slowly losing his children to relatives. Let him mourn." 

"If you do not act someone else will and all will be lost." 

"Mariah, how dare you think of something like that at such a time." 

"Do it, Jeremy, or you will regret it." 

There was a pause and then the voices continued but in lower tones. Rebecca pressed her ear closer to the door trying to catch what was being said, but she could only hear mumbling. 

"Fine." Jeremy sighed, and his footsteps were heard coming towards the door. 

Rebecca quickly stepped away, and just in time. The door swung open and her Uncle stood there for a second, startled to see her there. He then walked off and out of the house. Rebecca entered the room and began putting the clothing away. She watched her Aunt out of the corner of her eye and saw that while she was sitting, mending a stocking, she had a smile upon her face. 

The funereal was attended by most of the town with the Reverend Brown presiding. The mourners listened to the service then watched as their departed sister was lowered into the earth. The crowd dispersed after giving a few words of condolence to the widower. Rebecca watched his face throughout the whole service. It was twisted in anger and sadness. She wanted to share his pain, because she had been there. She began to walk up to him but she found that she couldn't speak. She placed her hand on his and looked up into his tearing eyes. He looked down at her and saw the pain in her eyes and knew that they were akin. 

"Rebecca, dear, run along, I need to conduct some business." Uncle Jeremy said, shoving Rebecca away. As she walked towards the road she heard her Uncle's words die on the wind. 

"I'm glad to take your land off your hands so you can move as soon as possible…" 

Rebecca was angry at the world. How could good people like her parents and Mrs. Thorpe just die, leaving greedy people like her Aunt and Uncle to live and feed off the weak and mourning? It didn't make sense, at least not to her. She couldn't return home, not now. She would see her Aunt and eventually the rest, and all she wanted to do was be alone. She detoured from the road and began running into the woods, not caring where she was going. 

The sun was high in the sky and after running for a few minutes Rebecca began to feel the perspiration gather at her hairline. She wiped at her forehead and at the branches of the trees that reached down to her. It suddenly hit her that she was headed in the direction of the lake and felt relieved that she could take refreshment from the cool waters. She could now see the crystal clear water through the trees and walked eagerly to the shore but stopped when she was clear of the forest. There was someone sitting inside a small boat that was resting on the shore sands. Rebecca turned to leave but the person called to her. 

"Rebecca?" The voice fell on her ears and she knew whom it was. Thomas Roberts. 

Rebecca stood still not sure if she should turn around and face him or just walk away. As she was making up her mind Thomas left the boat and came up behind her. 

"I'm sorry about the other day…truly." 

The tears that were threatening in Rebecca's eyes finally let lose and trickled down her face. Her shoulders began to heave from the heaviness that she was carrying and the crying, as if she were trying to lighten the load through her tears. Everything bad that happened to her seemed to build upon one another until these kind words broke the dam holding back the water. 

"I—I didn't mean to make you cry." Thomas's words only caused her to scream in pain and she fell to the earth, unable to hold herself up. "Here, let me take you to the boat…I have some food and water." 

Rebecca felt herself being picked up and she was in Thomas's arms, being carried towards the lake. She felt so helpless and vulnerable. She wanted to be let down but couldn't find the words, they evaded her. She felt the wood beneath her as she was gently let down into the boat and was startled when Thomas pushed the boat off shore. Her tears stopped and she grabbed on to either side of the boat to keep herself steady. Thomas jumped in and began to row towards the middle of the lake. Silently Rebecca took inventory of the boat; cloth covered basket, jug of water, fishing pole and a can of bait. Thomas looked up and noticed the panicked look in Rebecca's eyes. 

"Fishing always calms me." He explained. "I thought that you'd like it." 

Rebecca couldn't help but smile up at the boy who offered such kindness, and he smiled in return. He then began to row more vigorously, as if he'd been asked to hurry. Once they were nestled in the middle of the lake Thomas brought the ores into the boat and clasped his hands together. 

"Well, I have brought some tasty morsels to tempt my fair guest." Thomas grabbed the basket and uncovered it revealing some freshly baked bread, sweet cakes and an apple. He offered Rebecca a piece of cake and started nibbling on some himself. "Well, aren't you going to thank me?" 

Rebecca opened her mouth to speak but choked on her words. 

"Ah, I remember Samantha saying something about you refusing to speak." Rebecca looked down into her lap. "Come on, no one's around. You could just say 'thanks.' Fine then, I guess I'll have to make you speak." 

Rebecca looked up with an air of defiance, but wasn't prepared for what he'd do next. Thomas began to rock the boat causing waves of water to splash and hit t hem. Rebecca grabbed the sides of the boat again and with beating heart tried to hold on tight. Thomas rocked harder and water began to pore into the boat. Rebecca knew that if too much water got in the boat would sink, and seeing as she couldn't swim, she'd drown. 

"Thomas Roberts, stop that this instant!" She yelled. 

"What was that? I couldn't hear you." Thomas screamed, continuing to rock. 

"If you don't stop you'll drown us both!" 

"I'm still waiting for a thank you." 

Rebecca studied the face before her. His smile looked so much more attractive than his sneer and his eyes were bright with joy, his cheeks flushed. Without thinking Rebecca pulled back her fist, while keeping the other pinned tightly over the side of the boat, and let it fly lose towards his head. Her fist came into contact with his jaw, and pain shot throughout her hand. She cradled the injured limb, not even aware that the boat had ceased rocking. 

"What did you do that for?" He demanded. 

Rebecca looked up and saw Thomas's hands covering his jaw. She began to laugh in spite of herself, forgetting her own pain. 

"I'm sorry," She said, calming herself. "I don't know what came over me. Here, lower your hands and let me see." 

She reached her hands towards him but he pushed her away. "No, you'll do more harm than good." He pouted. 

"Just let me see." 

"No, it hurts so." 

"Thomas Roberts, let me see or—" Rebecca stood up to make herself more imposing, but the instant she stepped forward she lost her footing and fell sideways, headlong into the water. The cold water hit her hard, instantly soaking her to the bone. She splashed and splashed, trying to stay above the surface, but her skirts were weighing her down. She went under and saw the light from the sun play upon the surface. She was sinking fast. She tried to crawl her way upwards through the water, but it was no use, she was going to drown. She closed her eyes and prayed that she'd be taken quickly and returned to her parents, but something grabbed hold of her hand. She opened her eyes and saw Thomas dragged her upwards. She broke surface and took in life giving air that caused her lungs to stop flaring from lack of oxygen. 

"Grab hold of the boat!" Thomas ordered, and Rebecca obeyed. 

Rebecca held on, shivering from the cold while Thomas steadied the boat and began to pull her into it. After a few minutes of struggling Rebecca sat opposite of Thomas, shivering fiercely, her lips turning purple. 

"Wring out your skirts…here, take my jacket!" Thomas wrenched his jacket off of himself and wrapped it tenderly around Rebecca's shoulders. 

She wrung out her skirts as he told her, glancing up occasionally to see the set determination on his face as he rowed towards shore. Rebecca began to convulse from the cold. 

"Come here and sit in front of me. You need to get warm and until we can reach shore I'll share my warmth." 

Rebecca crawled on her hands and knees towards him and sat, her back against his chest. She could feel his warmth instantly begin to run through her body, and also his muscles as they worked hard to get them to safety. She stopped convulsing, but her shivering remained. Once they were on shore Thomas wrapped one of her arms around his shoulders and he lead her towards the woods. He let her sit against a tree while he gathered firewood and in no time he had a small blaze going. Rebecca held her hands out towards the flames, willing them to seep into her body. She was so absorbed with trying to attain warmth that she didn't feel the steady gaze upon her. 

"I will return." Thomas said, then left. He returned shortly with the basket of food in his hands. He handed Rebecca some bread and she ate it hungrily. He took a knife out of his pocket and cut up the apple and split it between them. 

"Thank you." Rebecca said, before biting into the apple. 

"So is that what it takes to get you to say thank you?" Thomas laughed. "It is dangerous business getting Rebecca to utter thanks one deserves." 

Rebecca smiled, and the two ate while beginning their friendship under the canopy of trees. 

~*~*~ 

"Can I see you again?" 

"I do not think so." 

"Please," 

"What would your parents say?" 

"They wouldn't have to know. Nor your Aunt or Uncle or, heaven forbid, Samantha." 

"She likes you," 

"I don't like her." 

Rebecca let their conversation play over and over again in her head. He had escorted her home but before allowing her to enter he forced a positive response out of her and they agreed to meet by the lake the next day. She was now in her room, letting down her hair and donning her nightdress. As she dreamed of the previous day she little knew that forces out of her command would threaten her existence. 

~*~*~ 

"There's been another death." An old woman whispered to her two companions as they sat outside, shelling peas. 

"That makes three this week!" One of the other women exclaimed. 

"Yes," The first continued. "All young people, once healthy and in the middle stages of life. Their death is not natural, mark my words…'tis something dark." 

The rumors spread among the old gossips and took no notice of the men. People died…even if they were young. Nothing to worry about. 

Rebecca eyed these three women as she passed them and they eyed her in turn. She laid her attention on the road in front of her and to the task she was to complete. Aunt Maria sent Rebecca to town to fetch Samantha, who of late was seen less and less in the house. Rebecca didn't mind, though. She was happy as she was. Her visits with Thomas were eagerly anticipated each day. Sometimes while Rebecca would be in town doing an errand she'd catch his eye, he'd smile and nod his head towards the direction of the lake. She'd nod her head also and in a half hours time they would both be sitting in the boat, talking and laughing about their first outing together. But Aunt Mariah made it clear she wanted Samantha found and brought home immediately. 

The town was filled with people as usual, but there was an odd absence of young girls. Rebecca searched for any of Samantha's friends but came up empty handed. She resolved to ask a woman she saw talking with Samantha one time. 

"I do not know what these young girls are doing, but they all head in the direction of the burned down shack near the cove. Try your searching there." 

"Thank you, I will." Rebecca quickly walked away, not having noticed Thomas heard all. 

Rebecca hastened her step and passed through the forest towards the old shack. Once she neared it she heard the soft giggling of girls. They were all in a circle, not far from the shack, all intent upon one object in the center. Rebecca searched the faces and found Samantha. 

"Samantha," She announced her arrival, the girls looked up curiously. 

"What is it?" She seemed annoyed. 

"Your mother wishes your return at once. She sent me to fetch you." 

"Why don't you join us?" One of the girls asked playfully. 

"Yes, we are telling each others fortunes!" 

Rebecca eyed them curiously, then looked at the object they all were gazing at. It was a glass of water with something solid floating in the middle. She couldn't make out what it was and before she could investigate further Samantha spoke up. 

"Tell my mother I'll be along. My turn is next!" 

"Yes, for Hattie's fortune is miserable indeed. Your cat will die in the next week and you will receive an injury." An older girl announced, flicking the cup with her finger, causing the solid object to become irritated in the water. 

Hattie, a small girl, began to cry into her apron. Rebecca did not wish to stay and left the group. Her feet cracked the twigs under her feet and she liked this sound mingling with the wind and bird songs. Rebecca was so intent on listening to a sweet little tune she had not noticed she was not alone. Strong hands circled them about her waist and lifted her into the air. Rebecca kicked out in protest and began to scream! 

"Hush, or we'll be found out!" The person dropped her and she turned to see Thomas. 

"Thomas, how dare you!" She exclaimed, catching her breath. 

"Oh, I would dare a lot more." He smiled and brought his hand up to her face. He leaned in closer and kissed her, then retreated. Rebecca's eyes were closed, her lips slightly opened. "Did I do wrong?" 

Rebecca's eyes fluttered open and her face blushed red. "Yes, you did." She then began to walk back. 

"Where are you going?" He asked. 

"Home, my Aunt needs me." 

"Can't you stay a little while?" 

"No, I cannot." 

Before Thomas could protest further a gasp coming from behind them stopped their conversation. They both turned to see Samantha who had stumbled upon them. 

"What are you two doing here?" She asked, startled and angry. 

"Thomas has just been asking me where you were." Rebecca said, her look telling Thomas to comply. 

"Really?" Samantha asked, all smiles. 

Thomas nodded his head. 

"Well then, Thomas, I'll reward you with my hand. Come, you must walk me home…the woods are awful scary these days." 

Samantha took his arm in her hand and began walking, not noticing the stifled laughing behind her. Thomas turned his head and glared playfully at Rebecca. He returned them both home safely, begging to call on them some other day, then left. Samantha went into a fit of happiness as she entered the house, never wondering why Rebecca went directly to her room, laughing hysterically. 

~*~*~ 

Hattie Medford went into awful hysterics of crying and thrashing about, her father and mother didn't know what to do. The physician they called in was as perplexed as they were. She did not suffer from illness, yet she would not stop. A word was uttered, causing many to shun away in disgust. Witch. 

After consulting the Reverend he prayed over her, yet nothing helped. The conclusion; a witch was in their midst, taking control over little Hattie. That instant the hunt was on to save the poor little girl. 

"I'd like to see the old witch." Edward said at the supper table one evening. 

Everyone looked up, startled, as if he expressed his wish to dine and stay with the evil one himself. 

"What?" He asked, innocently. 

"Do not say such things." Mariah scolded. 

"But I—" 

"Go to your room, young sir, and read your Bible." 

Edward left in a huff. Everyone felt the tension of the next couple of weeks. Hattie was pressured to name her afflicter. She started with one of the slaves that had taught them to tell their fortunes. The woman was taken, imprisoned, and questioned. She admitted to teaching fortune telling, and to being a witch. Most thought that would be the end to their troubles, but it was not. Two more names came forth from Hattie's mouth, both women who were bitter against the town. One never went to church, the other a terrible old gossip. They too were imprisoned, but they denied any affiliation. 

That was not all. Fear spread through the town. How well did they know each other? One by one, young girls of the town took fits and they too were asked who had put them under such a spell. They named names of people they heard bantered around in angry conversation, all of them taken to prison, all of them denying any charges. Mrs. Crowe accused Miss Snow of bewitching her chickens into dying. Mr. Heate accused Mrs. Duncan of killing his calf and cursing his land. Mrs. Duncan was taken into custody. Mr. Duncan, in defending his wife's honor, won himself a room in prison as well. 

Neighbor turned against neighbor, some fled before the blame was put on them, others hid themselves in their homes refusing to make themselves available for accusation. The Reverend and the Magistrate questioned each person, never getting a confession. They were searched, from head to foot, as were their houses. Some odd item would be exaggerated into a "tool of the devil" and be used against them. A small sack of herbs, a weird piece of jewelry, most anything and everything. 

Rebecca sat by the lake, wondering what madness had encountered the town. They were believing the false tales of scared children. She couldn't understand why upstanding citizens were being thrown in prison, accused of witchcraft, and threatened with hanging if they did not confess. 

"You look worried." Thomas said, closing her hand in his. 

"In truth, I am scared." Rebecca looked into his cool gray eyes. "Is no one safe from these flying accusations?" 

"Do not worry, a man from England just arrived who can question them more thoroughly than we can. He asked to use torture, but Father refused. Those who are innocent well be set free." 

"And what if those who are innocent are being railed against? Everyone knows that Mr. Heate dislikes the Duncans because their land is more fertile than his own. He does not farm properly, so he blames his misfortune on the success of others. No one is safe from such madness." 

"Please, do not talk so," Thomas nestled his face into Rebecca's head. "I came to forget, hoping you would give me cause to laugh." 

"I am sorry, dear Thomas." Rebecca said, kissing his forehead, then his lips. 

"What is going on here?" A voice startled them. It was Samantha. 

Rebecca and Thomas looked at Samantha, then at each other and back to Samantha. Her face was livid and her hands were upon her hips. 

"Thomas, what are you doing with her?" She pointed towards Rebecca as if she were filth. 

"Samantha, please…" 

Samantha stomped her foot, then walked away, screaming at herself. 

"I must go." Rebecca said, giving Thomas a farewell kiss, then returned home. 

She was surprised to see Samantha had not arrived yet. Her room was empty, and Mariah did not know where she had gone. Rebecca put her apron on and began fixing the dinner meal while coming up with an excuse to some how explain to Samantha that they had been secretly seeing each other and…and what? Was there anything else? They never exchanged the vows of lovers, nor acted as friends. As Rebecca was trying to type their relationship, a sharp rap at the door startled her. She wiped her hands and answered it, surprised to see the Magistrate. 

"Oh, no." Rebecca thought. Samantha went to tell him his son's been spending time with me. "Hello, sir," Rebecca took a step back allowing him to enter. 

"Are you Rebecca Smith?" He asked, eyeing her suspiciously. 

"Yes, sir." Rebecca waited for him to deny her the privilege of seeing his son. 

"Who is it?" Uncle Jeremy came into the room, followed by Aunt Mariah. "Hello, Magistrate." He held out his hand and they shook. 

"I came to speak with Rebecca." He explained. "It's sad to see this thing take a girl at such a tender age, but wherever the evil one finds a vesil…" 

"What are you saying?" Aunt Mariah demanded. 

"Your daughter has been accused of witch craft." 

"By whom?" Uncle Jeremy asked. 

"By your daughter, Samantha." 

Rebecca's eyes shot open wide and whatever happened next she knew not. It was a blur and she awoke from the shock to find herself sitting in a jail sail, accompanied by three other women. Her head hung on her shoulders, and she was confused. She knew she was not guilty, so how could any one else think so? Especially Samantha, whom she knew. 

"I wonder who could hate such a pore creature." An old woman asked, referring to Rebecca. "What malice could she have done to deserve an enemy?" 

"It doesn't matter what we've done." A voice, more bitter, responded. "As long as someone out there wants what we have, they'll see us to our graves until they can claim them as their own." 

"Hush, you're upsetting her." The third woman said, then put her arms around Rebecca and began to whisper soothing words. 

"Rebecca Smith." The jingling of the metal keys disturbed her. Looking up she saw a tall bearded man open the cell and motion for her to follow. 

She was escorted down the dank hallway and through a thick wooden door. The room was dark and only lit by a few candles on a table in the center. There were three men inside, the Reverend, the Magistrate, and a man whom Rebecca had never seen before. 

"Rebecca, this is Mr. Holsted. He's come from England to help us with our crisis. We are going to do an examination and collect facts before we go to trial." The Magistrate said. 

Rebecca's head whirled with the information; examination, trial? She was just a girl! She had done no harm to anyone in her life! So deep in thought was she that she had not noticed Mr. Holsted begin to take off her dress. 

"Keep your hands!" Rebecca shouted, removing them from her clothing. 

Mr. Holsted looked at the Magistrate and Reverend with an air of annoyance. 

"Rebecca, this man does God's work, and he needs to examine your body for signs that the evil one has marked you." The Reverend explained. 

"I am a good Christian girl and I will not have this done to me!" Rebecca took a few steps away from the men. 

"In England we're accustomed to blind obedience from our women and punish otherwise." Mr. Holsted stated. 

"That may be true, but we are not in England." The Reverend said. "Rebecca, as soon as his search is over, you can return to your cell. God will look kindly on you if you would do as we ask." 

Rebecca looked at the faces of all three men. The Reverend had a sympathetic look on his face, and Rebecca felt like she could trust him. But the Magistrate feigned sympathy, but under his mask she caught the hint that he felt he was being roped into this whole business. Mr. Holsted's face was by far the worst. His nose was pointy and his eyes were always moving, looking at every part of you. He seemed to enjoy this a little too much. 

"That's a good girl." The Reverend said as Rebecca began to pull her dress down, letting it fall to her ankles. 

Never had she cried or felt more ashamed in her life. As Mr. Holsted poked and prodded and felt and rubbed, Rebecca cried tears of anger and shame. The air was stuffy, and wasn't as cold as the rest of the prison, but Rebecca still felt chilled. She tightened her eyes and forced them to remain closed through this whole ordeal while the tears leaked out and streamed down her face and landed on the floor. She repeated every prayer she could remember under her breath, praying God would save her from this terrible ordeal. 

"Ah, ha, here it is!" Mr. Holsted cried. 

Rebecca opened her eyes and looked down. Mr. Holsted was crouched down in front of her, his intention on one of her feet. His finger rubbed a spot on her ankle and demanded a candle be brought at once. The light illuminated the lower half of her body and the Reverend and the Magistrate bent closer to see as well. 

"She is marked and there is your proof." Mr. Holsted rose triumphantly, taunting Rebecca with his victory. 

Rebecca knelt down to see what had caused such a turn of events and noticed the small arrow like birthmark. She rubbed her finger over the flesh and thought she heard someone cry, "no, no, no!" She looked up to see the source of the voice and saw an apparition floating above the three gentlemen; a young girl with red hair, staring back at her. The vision vanished, but the men took no notice. 

"It is not an evil mark. I was born with it." Rebecca pulled her clothes on. 

"We would like to question you now, Rebecca." The Magistrate said. 

She nodded her head and was let to sit in a small chair. She was questioned over and over again about why she would put a spell on her cousin, but she would deny the accusation every time it was thrown at her. She was questioned her about her past, before she arrived in their small village. They did not like the fact that her parents died, both at young ages. This piece of information counted against her. More questions were asked, all of which Rebecca did not know how to answer them so that they would leave her alone. Finally she was escorted back to her cell where she sank onto the floor and wept herself to sleep. 

~*~*~ 

"Rebecca. Rebecca." A soft whisper coming from the window wakened her. 

Rebecca sat up, as if she wasn't sure she heard right or if she dreamed it. The voice echoed her name again and she sprang towards the window and met Thomas. 

"What are you doing here?" She asked, afraid that they would be caught. 

"I heard just now that you were accused. I know you're innocent, Rebecca. What have they done to you to make you confess?" 

The tears sprang forth again, "I do not wish to speak about it." 

"I'll kill my father." Thomas grated his teeth. 

"Thomas, please, if God sees fit, I will be set free. I trust in His hands now, for man's has forsaken me." 

"I will never forsake thee." Thomas cried out. 

"Shh, Thomas, I hear someone coming. Please, go!" Rebecca was about to leave the window but Thomas grabbed a hold of her hand. 

"Wear this as a talisman against evil. I love you, Rebecca, and seek to make you mine forever." Thomas closed her hands around an object, then left in the darkness. 

Rebecca quickly got into the small cot provided her just in time for the guard was making his nightly rounds. As soon as the guard left Rebecca sat up and examined what was in her hand. A golden ring that had ivy etched on its surface glittered in the moonlight. Rebecca placed it on her finger, then cried. She knew she loved Thomas, and Thomas loved her. 

~*~*~ 

The trial finally came for her, as well as the other three ladies she shared her cell with. So far eleven people had been hanged, accused of using witchcraft to control the people of that town. One man had stood up and demanded that all testimonies of the girls be left out of the trials, for their words were contradicting. The Judge agreed, and the next eleven people put on trial were set free. Hope filled those in the prison, for now God had shone his mercy and was extending His hand to them. The four women went onto the stand, one at a time, and the three were both found innocent, and pardoned. Rebecca smiled as she took her seat, feeling that justice was on her side. 

The trial went smoothly, Rebecca answering calmly to all questions put to her. One point in time she scanned those in the audience and spotted Thomas, eagerly awaiting the verdict of the judge. She also noticed her Aunt and Uncle, along with Samantha and Edward. Edward looked worried, not exactly sure what was going on but knowing that his cousin was in danger. Samantha glared at Rebecca. 

"You have denied any dealings with the evil one." The man questioning her stated. 

"Yes." Rebecca answered. 

"Then why do you, above any one else, profit from the deaths of three who died?" Rebecca looked confused, but the man continued. "All three deaths permitted your family to gain their land at considerable low prices. After each death your family has prospered. Then you are accused of witchcraft! These are no coincidences! Even the evil scar on your ankle declares that you will be sent down to the fiery pits of hell for the work you do!" 

There was disorder in the court and Rebecca felt that circumstances had changed for the worse. She could not answer the man for she knew nothing about it. He declared her silence her guilt and demanded she pay for what she has done with her own life. 

"No!" She cried. "I have done no harm! I am innocent!" 

"You cannot save yourself now!" 

"Stop!" Someone from the audience yelled, causing everyone's stare to fall on him. Thomas continued, "This girl is innocent of all accusations. She is no witch. It is said that when placed in water, witches will float and the innocent will drown. Well, she nearly drowned three weeks ago. It was I who saved her from a watery grave…although she would be resting at peace by now, instead of being abused by you." 

"Thomas, quiet yourself." The Magistrate ordered. 

"No, Father, I will not! I love her and she is innocent!" 

"The girl has bewitched Thomas." Someone cried. 

"If this isn't proof, then I do not know what will satisfy the judge." The man questioning her cried. 

That scene flashed before Rebecca's eyes as she stood on the wooden platform. It seemed everyone was against her for some reason and their hatred was so strong she could not counter it. 

She could feel the itchy cord around her neck tighten. 

She had come to understand all that had happened. All the events that led up to this moment. Her parents death sent her far away to her Aunt, who received the money that was left for her. Her Aunt cared for each of the dead people just before they passed. Uncle Jeremy was commanded by Aunt Mariah to purchase the land before anyone else, knowing they would come cheap. Aunt Mariah's daughter was thwarted in love, and most likely sought revenge. And now this woman had the nerve to stand in the crowd, feigning tears and sorrow, when it was she who caused this madness. 

"I am innocent of every accusation and God will see me safely into his Kingdom and punish those who have conspired against me." Rebecca declared, eyeing her Aunt especially. 

The signal was given and she dropped. 


	5. Chapter 5: Hellen

(A/N: Ok, last past life, as I'm sure everyone is dying to know! Thanks again for the wonderful reviews, you guys make my day bright and sunshiny!!! Next chapter we'll be seeing some interesting things going on, I assure you!) 

**Forever With You**

Chapter Five: Hellen

No! Ginny couldn't believe this was happening! She cried out at the injustice of it all. She felt the accusations sting her and in the end the rope was around her neck. She wanted it to stop, she didn't want to see any more, but once again the mirror fogged over and Ginny winced as another scene played across the glassy surface. 

~*~*~ 

"Wake up." The man prodded the young woman beside him. 

"I am sorry, Gustave, I must have fallen asleep." 

The young girl was no more than twenty with rich auburn hair that was done up in the latest style. Her white-laced dress was embroidered with pearls and little pink rose buds and in her lap was a hat that completed the ensemble. She yawned into her gloved hand and tried to steady herself in the carriage that rocked back and forth. The man beside her was in his late forties and his beard and moustache covered most his face. His black suit fitted him well and his tall hat lay on the opposite chair. 

"Remember that you are bound to me and if I hadn't saved you from your poverty you would be wondering the streets of New York, lonely and friendless." Gustave said. 

"Yes, I remember every day and thank you for it." The girl truly was thankful, but at times wondered if this somewhat imprisoned life was better than the alternative. 

"Hellen, I have molded you into what you are," Gustave continued. "You are now the most sought after actress in the world! The European Tour you have just completed has marked you as the most accomplished young lady in your field and returning to New York at this time will enhance your career." 

"And your purse." Hellen said, under her breath. 

"Your debt to me is great, and in this next week I expect my payment. You remember what I have told you?" 

"I cannot forget it." 

"Good, I will point the man out to you once we board the ship. He comes from a very proud race and associates with only those he deems worthy. Actresses are not usually of his acquaintance, but you will play your part wonderfully and tempt him, seduce him…and then I will enact my revenge." 

Hellen did not think this a difficult task at all. Ever since she entered the acting world people exclaimed over her beauty and her delicate way of moving. She acted with such passion she forced the audience to feel what her character was feeling and to pity her when forlorn, laugh when blithe, and become angry when wronged. She had received many bouquets from the hands of lords and ladies of all nationalities, and met with many ardent lovers, none of whom she had felt anything for. She had no heart, and was therefore incapable of love. 

The carriage rolled to a stop and Hellen could instantly smell the salty sea air of the Liverpool waters. She would miss England, it had been a nice stay in London. Society was so polished and refined, there was a rule of everything, she was greatly amused. But she longed for New York as well; it's adolescent carefree attitude, tall imposing buildings and the ambition of its inhabitants filled the air. New York was by far the best place to be and undoubtedly her home. 

Gustave exited the carriage first then handed Hellen out. She replaced her hat and pinned it firmly into her hair. The wind played with the few strands of hair that had managed to escape her coif, but she did not care. Excitement filled her veins as she saw the tall smoke stacks and the long broad sides of the ship freshly white washed. She was led towards a plank where many well dressed and mannered ladies and gentlemen were boarding. The wood was wet from the sea spray and Hellen carefully stepped along the boards, careful not to fall. Once she was safely inside the boat she saw the crowd being escorted to their rooms. Hellen was led down a long narrow hallway, on either side were doors with little brass numbers on them. She was given the key to number 67, and across from her was 68, the room in which Gustave was staying in. 

"Freshen yourself, Hellen, and meet me in the salon for tea." Gustave ordered, then disappeared behind the door. 

Hellen opened her own door and stepped inside. It was well lit, for the window curtains were opened and the sunshine filled the room with bright warm rays. She was standing in the middle of a sitting room and to her right was an open doorway that showed the bedroom. She rushed in and found her trunks placed neatly at the foot of the bed. She took her hat off and placed it on the folded sheets. That's when she noticed the flowers on the dresser. Upon hearing the famous Hellen Richards would be sailing on the ship, many of the young men who had seen her perform did not think it improper to send her flowers along with notes of introduction. Hellen smiled as she smelled the variety of flowers and read each note, then threw them into the waste bin. 

The ships salon was large filled with tables dressed in lacy white table clothes and porcelain tea sets painted with budding roses. Hellen scanned the room, noticing a few people she had met while in London, her eyes finally resting on Gustave. He had procured a table at the far side of the room near a window. Hellen went directly to the table, sat, and took her tea. 

"Do not look just yet, but Donovan is sitting at the table with Mrs. Roderick. He is the young lad with the blonde hair." Gustave said quietly, making sure only Hellen would be able to hear his words. 

Hellen set her cup down and reached for her spoon, but it dropped. She turned to pick the spoon up and looked over at the table. Mrs. Roderick was talking animatedly to a small party of people, one of which was the young blonde, Donovan. He looked bored with the talk and let his eyes wonder, and they came into contact with Hellen's. He gave a polite smile, which Hellen refused to respond to. She set the spoon back on the table. 

"Well?" Gustave asked. 

"He is young but his heart is ready to fall into a passionate love." Hellen said. "Many girls adore him, yet they hold no charm for him and will make my job easier for it. A week is all I need, Gustave, then the boy is yours to do with what you please." 

Gustave began to laugh heartily, "You never cease to amaze me! You can read anyone's character like an open book. How do you do it?" 

Hellen shrugged her shoulders and finished her tea. Throughout the rest of the hour while Hellen and Gustave ate small sandwiches and drank tea, Gustave noticed how much Donovan looked over at their table. He knew the beauty of any woman was no match for Hellen's and how men were extremely attracted to her. He could already see Hellen's spell reach that boy and she wasn't even trying. 

"I am going to speak with the captain, Hellen, I shall return." He dabbed at his mouth with his napkin, then left the salon. 

Hellen continued to finish the little sandwich on her plate and drink her tea, occasionally looking out the window at the people on the deck. Her reverie was interrupted by a lady exclaiming her name behind her. 

"Hellen Richards!" The gushy voice said. "I had no idea you would be boarding with us!" 

Mrs. Roderick came out from behind her and sat herself next to Hellen. There was no surprise when Donovan also came into view, standing in between the two ladies. Mrs. Roderick introduced Hellen to Donovan, explaining that Hellen had starred in many plays. Donovan regretted never having seen one of them. 

"I am sorry to hear it." Hellen said then returned to her tea. 

"Oh my, I must get back to my party, you two can go ahead and chat without me." Mrs. Roderick got up and went back to her table leaving Donovan to fill her chair. 

"I noticed you were with Gustave Morreau just now." Donovan said. 

"You are quite right. Gustave is my only friend and he takes time out of his busy life to manage my affairs." Hellen paused. "Do you know him?" 

"Ah, very little. My Father knows him, however, but tells me things that do not put him in a bright light." 

"If you are here to degrade my friend, sir, I will beg you to leave." Hellen spoke with such fervent anger that Donovan's eyes widened in shock. 

"I am sorry, I should not have said such a thing, please forgive me." 

Hellen nodded her head slightly, then looked back out the window. 

"Do you wish to walk on the deck?" Donovan asked. "It looks beautiful out there, I will accompany you." 

"No, I am waiting for Gustave. He will escort me." 

Donovan's eye brows knit together. "I see." He stood, excused himself, then left. 

Hellen smiled, well pleased with her performance. Now she knew Donovan was intrigued with her relationship with Gustave and will not rest until this little mystery was solved. She also played her indifference so well she thought that he might make a scene just to get her attention. Gustave returned shortly and Hellen stood, hooking her arm in his, and they both swept by Donovan on their way out to the dock. 

~*~*~ 

That evening found Hellen in her bedroom in front of her mirror. She had just put on a dark blue evening gown and her hair was pinned securely to her head. Her silver gloves were adorned with diamond bracelets and in her ears were matching ear rings. She had been informed earlier by Gustave that many men had requested to sit at her table, Donovan among them. He told her that he had accepted every offer, but refused Donovan's, bribing the maitre'd to sit him at a table directly behind Hellen. 

A knock on the door announced Gustave's arrival and Hellen followed him towards the dining room. There was a small orchestra playing lightly while the electric lights gave a soft glow to the room. They sat at their table and during dinner Hellen gave her attention to each man in turn, making it a point to laugh beautifully and talk exquisitely, knowing Donovan would try to pick up everything she said. The men at the table demanded her to save a dance for them at the ball that would commence after dinner. She obliged each of them. 

They all moved into an adjoining room which was more brightly lit and a larger orchestra and band were tuning up to play for the rest of the evening. As soon as the first song was struck up Hellen was carried away onto the dance floor. She enjoyed dancing but all her partners were dull, selfish, wealthy young men who thought that with their good looks and pocket book could woo Hellen. She smiled at them and played the lover, but cast each one off like an old pair of gloves. Halfway through the evening Gustave claimed a dance. 

"I am impressed," He began, as they waltzed around the room. "Donovan has not taken his eyes off of you since you went through those doors. After this dance you must beg to rest. Take a seat far from the dancing…Donovan is sure to follow." 

"And if he doesn't?" 

"He will." 

As she was told, Hellen declined the next offer to dance and went directly to a small alcove hidden partially by drapery. She sat on a plush sofa and feigned tiredness. Only a few seconds elapsed before Donovan arrived, standing in front of her. 

"May I?" He asked, pointing towards the seat beside her. 

Hellen nodded her head silently. Donovan took his seat but he seemed out of sorts. He would take a deep breath as if preparing to say something, then stop and sit back. 

"If you have something to say, Mr. Donovan, please say it." Hellen said. 

Donovan looked surprised, not expecting Hellen to have read his thoughts. 

"I am afraid I have told you a lie." He started. "I have seen one of your plays and enjoyed it immensely. I did not know you would be on this ship and when I saw you at tea I had to be introduced. If you think it wrong of me to impose on you, please, just say so and I shall leave." 

Hellen smiled, "You are not the first man to seek me out, though you are probably the first to apologize for something. I have just decided I like you, Mr. Donovan, despite your lies, and hope we shall be friends." 

Hellen held her hand out to shake his and he took it gratefully. They sat thus for quite some time before Gustave arrived, demanding to escort Hellen back to her room, since the hour was getting late. Hellen meekly obeyed as Donovan looked after them with sympathy for one and anger for the other. 

~*~*~ 

"You will be playing billiards all day?" Hellen asked, surprised. 

"Yes." Gustave replied. 

"And you will just leave me here…to fend for myself?" 

"You have done a stunning job already, my dear, I trust you shall find something to amuse you." 

"You know these people amuse me not one jot! I despise them." 

"And why is that?" He asked, amused. 

"They think themselves a cut above the rest because of their birth. They do not work a day in their life yet reap the riches others sow and bask in that which was earned by the hands of others." 

"You have a strong prejudice against the upper class then? You do remember I was born a noble?" 

"Yes, Gustave, but you have risen above that." 

She took his arm playfully, smiling up at him. He looked down at her, smiled, then kissed her forehead. 

"I shall see you this evening, Hellen." He put his hat on, then left. 

Hellen looked angrily at his retreating back and once he was gone from site she resigned with going out to the deck and read a book. The sun was strong and not many people ventured outside that day, but Hellen was glad for the solitude. She had calmed her anger and soon found pleasure in the book and wiled away her morning. 

"Now it is your turn to apologize." A voice startled her. 

Looking up she saw Donovan standing above her. He sat down across from her, his elbows on his knees, his blonde hair sweeping playfully over his brow. He looked younger than he did the day before. Hellen closed her book and placed it on the table beside her. 

"Excuse me?" She said. "Apologize for what?" 

"For cutting our conversation short." 

"I do not need to apologize to you." Hellen sat up strait. 

"What power does that man hold over you?" He blurted out. "Excuse me, I should not have asked." 

"You have every right to ask, though I have an equal right not to answer." Hellen paused. "Gustave, as I said, is my only friend. He has helped me through many trials and I endeavor to repay his debt." 

"You are not…more than friends then?" Donovan ventured to ask. 

"No, Mr. Donovan," Hellen blushed slightly. "He is like a father to me and I love him as such." 

"I am surprised no man has won your hand as of yet. It is not uncommon for beautiful, talented actresses like yourself to be made a noble's wife." 

"If I were any other woman I might already be married, but I must confess a secret," Hellen leaned her head in slightly. "I cannot fall in love because I have no heart." 

"You are joking!" Donovan began to laugh. "That is impossible! Someone like you?" 

"I am not joking. You think because a woman is beautiful she is full of life and love? She will venture to give her heart to the first man who woos her to better her station?" Hellen sneered, "You may know many women like this, Donovan, but if you have been where I have been you would understand." 

"I am sorry." Donovan looked repentant. 

"It is your race, Donovan, and your breeding that make you prejudice. But it is your soul that can correct it." Hellen stood and walked out towards the ships railing. 

The sea sparkled in the sunlight and Hellen let it engulf her. The wind tugged at her hair and dress, cooling her red face. Donovan stood up and walked slowly to her side. They both stood motionless, watching the rolling sea and listening to the wind for a while before Donovan noticed a tear trickle down Hellen's cheek. 

"Here, allow me." He brought out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped away the tear. 

"Thank you." Hellen turned to him and smiled. 

"You can say you have no heart, Hellen, but if it were true mine wouldn't be reacting to yours as it is right now. A tear cannot escape your eye without your heart mourning its loss." 

"You should be a poet, Mr. Donovan." 

"Call me Phillip?" 

"Phillip." 

Donovan brought his hand up to Hellen's cheek to trace the path the tear had tread but before his finger touched her skin Hellen quickly ran away from him. 

~*~*~ 

Hellen couldn't be more pleased with the earlier conversation she had with Donovan. She warned him, however, of her incapability of falling in love and he would live to regret the day he did not take that warning. She was at present sitting in front of the mirror, making last minute adjustments to her looks, when there was a knock at the door. Hellen stood and walked towards the door and opened it, thinking it was Gustave. 

"May I come in?" Donovan asked, all smiles. 

Hellen stared at him uncertainly. 

"I do not think that would be prudent." She said. 

"I have a peace offering." Donovan pulled a small bouquet of flowers from behind him. Hellen looked at the flowers with a raised eyebrow, then back up at Donovan in disapproval. "Well, then, I have brought back your book." His other hand came from behind his back and in his hand was the book Hellen was reading on the deck. She made a grab for it but Donovan backed away. "Please, let me com in." 

Hellen stood in silence for a moment, then backed away from the door, giving him room to enter. She closed the door behind him and saw him enter her receiving room. He placed the bouquet on a table, then sat on one of the chairs. 

"You look lovely," He said. "Are you going to the ball tonight then?" 

"I may," She said, coming to sit beside him. 

"It would be too cruel to deprive the others of your beauty." 

"Flattery will get you no where." Hellen warned. 

"The deuce it will!" Donovan exclaimed. "I can't understand you, Hellen, not one bit! You are not like any other woman I have ever met; you're impossible to comprehend, you speak forwardly and yet you have me intrigued. What makes you so different?" 

"I am an actress, Donovan, not one of your wealthy demoiselles. I was born on the streets of New York where I was raised and grew up, owning only the clothes on my back. I worked, Donovan, and would be living in poverty if it wasn't for Gustave." 

At these words Donovan's expression became sober. Hellen continued: 

"I was starving and couldn't afford a morsel of anything and I resorted to theft. I stole a sticky bun when I thought no one was looking, but the baker came out in a huff and demanded my arrest. I told him I hadn't stolen it but was given it, and acted my part well. Gustave was purchasing a cake at the time and saw my little display. He liked it so much he paid for the sticky bun and took me to live with him. 

"He had me audition at a theatre and I was called back as a chorus girl. I sang and I acted until I was soon the leading lady and on my way to Europe. And here I am, Donovan, a place which is rightfully mine for I have worked hard for it." 

"I'm sorry," He whispered. "I had no idea." 

"Come, let us go," Hellen stood. "The ball is about to begin." 

~*~*~ 

During the next couple of days Hellen and Donovan spent much time together. All the other young ladies on the ship were displeased with the fact that the most eligible bachelor in their midst was talking to a mere actress who had no birth or rank. But Donovan didn't care. Hellen was a breath of fresh air to him. She was alive in every way, spoke her mind and cared not the consequences, sending Donovan into bouts of laughter. Hellen frequently warned him she had no heart to love, but Donovan was bent on loving her and making her love him in return. 

The only thing that Donovan did not like was the way Gustave would stare at him when he was in his company. He had been told by his Father that Gustave's reputation was tainted and was now not accepted in polite society. He was afraid for Hellen and wished to take her away from the man, secretly wishing that one day he'd be able to. 

The day before the ship was to dock in New York, Hellen and Donovan were in the salon enjoying a quiet tea. Gustave had just left their presence and Donovan felt this was the perfect time to do what he had wanted to do for a long while. 

"Hellen, I need to speak with you." 

"You are." She stated, taking a sip of tea. 

"No, something important is weighing on my mind." 

"You have my attention." 

"Not here, follow me." Donovan stood and took Hellen's hand in his arm. He noticed the many groups of women talking in whispers and staring at him as he left, but he did not care. "Hellen," He started once they were secluded. "I told you once that you were not like any other girl and I meant it. I don't care that you were once in poverty or that you claim to have no heart. I love you, Hellen, and I want to make you my wife." 

Hellen's heart gave a faint twitch, which was completely new to her. She could feel the warm blood rushing through her veins, but could not explain it away. Suddenly Gustave's words came into her mind. 

"If he proposes, accept, then come to be strait away." 

"What if he does not propose?" She had asked the previous night. 

"He will." 

Hellen looked down at her shaking hands, debating with herself. She had come to care something for Donovan, but she owed her life to Gustave. She couldn't bare to see him hurt in any way, and she knew that whatever Gustave had in mind would be tormenting. For a split second she pictured her life with Donovan if she accepted and did not tell Gustave. She saw herself embraced in his strong arms, protected from all the evils of the world, his eyes looking deep into hers. Her heart gave another little twitch, beating furiously. 

"I—" She couldn't speak, the words would not come. 

A sudden memory flashed in front of her eyes. When she was just twelve and Gustave had taken her into his house, she had been so fascinated with the vastness of the rooms and the long stairways that she ran around until she lost all breath, then ran around some more. She was running down the stairs when she fell, twisting her ankle. Gustave came to her immediately, looked at her ankle and ran his hand against the mark that was there. 

"What is this?" He asked, breathless. 

"I've had it since I could remember." She had replied. 

Gustave looked into her eyes with a new sort of love she had never seen in any one's eyes. He immediately had her sitting on a sofa with her foot resting on a pillow and some ice on top. He read to her and laughed when she would act out some of the parts, then just before going to bed he kissed her forehead and carried her to her new room. 

"I accept." She finally said. 

Donovan looked as if someone had handed him the world. He gave a loud whoop, then took her into his arms and kissed her with all the ardent passion of a lover. Hellen wanted it to last, but knew she'd have to let him go. She owed Gustave too much. 

After a few minutes of talking about weddings with Donovan, she begged to retire to her room. But before entering her room she went into Gustave's. He was sitting on a plush chair, reading a book with a pipe in his hand. When she entered he looked up, placing his book on his knee. 

"He has proposed," She said. "And I accepted. Tell me what I must do." 

Gustave smiled then set the book down completely. 

~*~*~ 

Hellen was waiting on the deck, trying to keep her nerves under control. She had asked Donovan to meet her there and knew he would come right away. Gustave was just around the corner. Approaching footsteps announced Donovan's arrival, and Hellen shivered from the cold night air, among other things. 

"Hellen, my love!" He exclaimed, then rushed to her. 

Hellen backed away from him and he stopped. 

"What is wrong?" He asked. 

"Gustave will not let me marry you." She said. 

"Not marry me?" He looked bewildered. "He can't stop us! He doesn't own you!" 

"I owe my life to him, Donovan—" 

"Call me Phillip." 

"Phillip, he has every right to direct my affairs." 

"Not when your heart wants setting free!" Donovan yelled. "Hellen, I know you've been blinded by that man, he may even be the one to have forced you to give up your heart, but I felt it beat, very much alive, the other day. There is no denying your heart beats for me, as mine does for you." 

"You say you will marry me, Donovan, but what if your parents disapprove?" 

"Hang my parents!" He returned. "As long as I have you, I care about nothing else!" 

"And what if they disowned you?" This voice came from Gustave who made his presence known, startling Donovan. "What if they disprove so much of young Hellen here, who has no family name or position in society, that they drop you completely?" 

"I will still love her!" 

"No more fancy tea parties, no more carriages or balls every night. Your rich clothes would have to go because manual labor demands more endurance in fabric." Here Gustave flicked his finger at Donovan's jacket. 

"Just what are you trying to do?" Donovan asked. 

"I'm just trying to prepare you for the life you wish to live." Gustave smiled. "Even if it meant learning a few secrets that Hellen has been carrying around for years." 

"Secrets?" Donovan looked over at Hellen who looked just as confused as Donovan. 

Gustave only mentioned that he would come out and test Donovan's love by showing him the hard life it would be to marry an actress who one day will fall out of the lime light. She only thought that Gustave wanted to see Donovan's pride spring forth when times turned rough, and was certain he'd take back the proposal. There was no mention of secrets. 

"Did not you have an Aunt?" Gustave asked Donovan. 

"Yes, but she died when I was little." Donovan answered. "I did not know her." 

"Ah, but did you know she had a child before she died? A little baby girl?" Gustave relished in Donovan's confused expression. "Yes, the daughter of a wealthy aristocrat, who bought his title, had a child out of wed-lock. The family was so ashamed, they mentioned it to no one. Sent the child off as soon as it was born, gave it to an old beggar woman with a sack of money. But they didn't know that someone they didn't want knowing had received a letter. 

"It was too late, of course, for the lover returned from foreign lands after she died. The family turned him away, denouncing him to all of society. But he knew his child was alive, somewhere, and he searched for her. Two years he searched Europe and then a clue sent him to America. For a total of twelve years he roamed the world for his daughter, with only one clue as to her identity." Gustave paused, reached down at Hellen's feet and pulled down her stocking revealing the arrow like mark on her ankle. "The letter described the baby girl in detail, especially the mark on her ankle that looked like an arrow pointing down." 

Hellen's eyes opened wide and she let out a loud sob. Donovan looked from her ankle to her face, not believing what he was hearing. 

"Hellen doesn't love you." Gustave sneered. "I would let no daughter of mine marry into a conniving family like yours. I asked her to make you think she loved you, just so this moment would be the sweetest revenge. And it has been sweet." 

"You lie!" Donovan shouted. "It's not true!" 

"Just ask Hellen." 

"It can't be true." Donovan looked over to Hellen, who's sobs only grew louder as she nodded her head. "Traitor…temptress…" 

Gustave's evil laugh brought Donovan's attention back to him and in a quick motion he flung himself at the evil man, throwing blow after blow, but soon Gustave overpowered him. They were struggling on the deck, Hellen's screams adding to their yells of anger and pain. She fought to break them apart, but it was no use. And suddenly, Gustave and Donovan were leaning against the railing, the raging sea below them. Their weight was too much for it, and it snapped, sending them down into the dark waters. 

"No!" Hellen yelled, but it was too late. 

Without even thinking she jumped off the ship and landed in the icy cold waters of the Atlantic. She hit the surface hard, and gulped a lot of sea water as she fought to keep above surface. The waves were crashing loudly against the ship as Hellen searched, but to no avail. She had lost him. She had loved him, she knew now, and she had lost him. The salty tears streaked her face, mixing with the sea water, as she slowly sank lower and lower, darkness clouding her vision and mind. Just before she gave up her life she thought she saw a girl floating in front of her, crying, and then it was gone. 

~*~*~ 

Ginny gasped for air as she fell to the floor. She was on her hands and knees, coughing, trying to get oxygen into her lungs. The coughing subsided and she rolled over to her side, wincing in pain. The last thought she had before she blacked out was relief of being released from the mirror, and her past lives. 


	6. Chapter 6: Return To The Present

(A/N: alright, sorry it took a little long to get this chappy out, but I was having trouble coming up with something. I had only planned this fic as far as the past lives, and nothing beyond. I must admit, I'm still working on a plot, lol, but once I get one it'll all be down hill from there. BTY thanks for all your wonderful reviews, they make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!) 

**Forever With You**

Chapter Six: Return To The Present

"What's wrong with her?" 

"I don't know," A short pause. "She's been asleep all day." 

"What did she do?" 

Another short pause. "Nothing." 

The voices came in and out of Ginny's hearing before she realized they were talking about her. She opened her eyes and saw two figures standing near her bed, but they were blurred. She closed her eyes tightly and moved slightly in bed, then opened them again. 

"Ginny, are you awake?" Lisa was kneeling in front of her and next to her was Ron. 

Ginny's eye brows furrowed in confusion. Why was her brother in her dorm? And why were they both acting as if she were sick or something. All she wanted to do was go back to sleep. 

"Whussamatter?" She asked groggily. 

"You've been asleep all day and I tried to wake you up but nothing worked so I went to get Ron and I brought him up here and he couldn't even wake you up and—" 

Ron interrupted Lisa's run on sentence, "Gin, are you feeling well?" 

Ginny searched within herself. Something did seem wrong, but she couldn't quite remember it. She was different somehow, she had changed. "I think so," She finally said. 

Ron stood up, "Lisa, it's just a bad case of teen laziness. I remember sleeping entire days away…it's normal." Ron sounded relieved and before leaving, he patted Ginny on the head. 

The expression on Lisa's face didn't change from worry, though. 

"Do you remember anything at all?" She asked, still kneeling next to Ginny. 

"What are you talking about?" But something was coming back to Ginny. Memories of something… 

"Ginny, yesterday we stole a mirror from Trelawney's to look—" 

"At my past lives!" Ginny's eyes widened as she shot up into a sitting position. "The mirror, get it away from me!" Ginny screamed, then began to back away from an unseen foe, crawling over her sheets, her hair getting tangled in the struggle. 

"Gin!" Lisa crawled onto the bed and grabbed Ginny's arms. "Gin, it's gone. I took it back when…when you fainted." 

Ginny stopped her scrambling and pushed the hair out of her eyes. "It's gone?" But it really wasn't gone, not for Ginny. The images came back fresh in her mind and it was horrible, more so than before. 

"I'm so sorry, Gin," Lisa began, tears coming into her eyes. "I had no idea it would affect you like that…I wasn't thinking." 

"It was horrible." Ginny started. "So very horrible…" 

Lisa embraced Ginny, letting the emotions vent. Lisa didn't ask Ginny what happened. She was afraid that Ginny would close up and refuse to speak to anyone, so she let Ginny take her time. After a few minutes Lisa suggested they go down to the Great Hall to eat dinner and Ginny consented and got dressed. 

The castle halls seemed foreign to Ginny. It felt like she had been gone for years and now that she was back she couldn't remember things from her present. The Great Hall was brightly lit and students were talking loudly about their Hogsmeade visit and the coming winter. The tables were piled with food and drink and all in all, it looked like the picture perfect setting for a happy life. And that's what Ginny had had, but now her innocent mind was filled with horrific images of the past. 

The Gryffindors didn't seem to notice that Lisa and Ginny were both very quiet. Life went on, obviously. Ginny barely ate two bites, she just stared at her plate. Lisa would take sidelong glances at her best friend between bites, wondering what must have happened to make her like this. 

Abruptly, Ginny stood up. "I'm going to go do some work." Ginny said. 

Lisa got up to go with her but Ginny said she needed to do this alone. Lisa watched as Ginny left the Great Hall, then let her eyes fall back on the empty seat next to her. 

~*~*~ 

"It wasn't real." Ginny said to herself as she was walking down the long corridors. "The mirror did something funny, I fainted, then had all these crazy dreams." 

She had a hard time convincing herself, though. The images appeared when she was dreaming and she'd cry out in the night, trying to get away from the sad faces of her past lives. But the worst part was when she saw Draco. He was so much like the men she had loved; the hair, the stature, the skin. If she didn't know what a jerk Draco was, she'd have attempted to get to know him better, to see if he was capable of becoming those men from her past lives. 

Draco's attitude hadn't changed one bit. Ginny naively thought that he would have been through what she had, but he was untouched by the deep emotions that now conquered Ginny. He would glare at her forcing her to stare at her feet as she passed him in the halls. She would walk the other way when she saw him coming towards her and made sure she was always in a group of other Gryffindors. 

All of her careful planning in not coming in contact with Draco lasted for quiet a while, but she knew one of these days he'd catch her, and it came almost too sudden. 

~*~*~ 

"What are you thinking?" Lisa asked, watching Ginny stare at a spot on the wall. 

"Huh?" Ginny shook herself from her trance, and looked at her friend. "Nothing." 

Ginny returned her attention to a scroll of parchment she had been writing an essay on, but she couldn't get the thought out of her head. What if I did make it up? She questioned herself. What if I had heard those stories before and I just dreamed of them when I fainted? There was only one way she was going to solve this mystery. 

It was a cold night and Ginny had forgotten her cloak. She made her way down the stairways and corridors until she came to the library. Madame Pince was seated at her desk, deeply engrossed in a novel, when Ginny entered. She looked up, then resumed her reading. Ginny never made any problems while in the library. There were a few other people doing some studying who didn't even bother looking up—Ginny preferred it that way. 

She went directly to the book catalog and pointed her wand towards the drawers, while saying, "Ancient Egyptian History." A few drawers shot open and about two dozen cards floated out, allowing Ginny to catch them. Ginny flipped through the cards, pulling out three total. She put the rest of the cards back then headed towards the shelves with the books she wanted. Once she got the books she set them down in a secluded part of the library and began going through them, all the while saying, "It was a figment of my imagination. I dreamt all of it, it's not real." Until she opened to a certain page. Her heart stopped as she read the passage, then slammed the book shut. 

"No," She moaned. But it was there, in black and white. Anukaya's—her—life. "Ok, so maybe I had heard about her before and incorporated her in my dream." But she some how doubted that. 

She went back to the card catalog and searched for the subjects of the other lives she had dreamed of. Each and every one was found in books, their stories told for all to see. Her story, her lives, her mistakes and love. She ran her hands through her hair and rested her head on the table and began to cry. 

"What's the matter?" A malicious voice asked, startling Ginny to look up. "Suddenly found out your too dim-witted to learn anything?" 

Ginny's eyes began to water as she saw Draco come towards her. He was so much like Kai and Paco and all the others. He looked exactly the same; the same blonde hair, the same facial features, the same physique. It hurt Ginny to see him and know that he hated her. It tore her up inside. 

"He's none of them." She whispered to herself. 

"What's that?" He spat. 

Ginny tightened her eyes shut and clinched her fists. "He's not them, he's someone else." 

"Look, Weasley, if you're going to talk to yourself you should be sent to St. Mungo's." 

"Draco, why are you like this to me?" Ginny asked. 

Draco was startled, but soon regained his indifferent composure. "What would you have me be?" 

Ginny bit her bottom lip to prevent the answer she wanted to shout out. She could taste the metallic flavor of blood in her mouth before she couldn't take it any more and she rushed past him and out the library. 

Draco watched her retreating back, then kicked the table in front of him. He had no idea why he was like that to her. He just had these sudden impulses to hurt her and humiliate her, like he was avenging himself. He had justified once that he was getting back at Ron through his sister, but tonight he realized it wasn't that at all. Looking down on the table was a book opened halfway through. At the top of the page was the title, Muggle Life, vol. 6; Mysterious Happenings at the Turn of the Century. He skimmed the page until he came to a Muggle picture of a young man wearing a suit. It was in black and white, but that didn't stop Draco from looking at it wide eyed. 

"What is this?" 

Draco ran his hand over the picture, noting the all too familiar features, for they were his. He read the article; 

"One mystery that has never been solved happened in late summer on a ship crossing the Atlantic, which set sale from Liverpool, England, and docked in New York with three less passengers. 

"Phillip Donovan, the son of a wealthy lord in England, Gustave Morreau, and Hellen Richards disappeared the night before the ship docked. No one knows for sure what had happened, but it was supposed at the time that they fell to their deaths. The railing on the port side was broken, but that was their only clue. Many said it was a plot to kill the wealthy young bachelor that went awry. Phillip and Hellen had been seen previously to have become intimate—" 

Draco stopped reading and slammed the book shut. He didn't know why Ginny was looking at this…perhaps she wasn't even reading this article. He had almost reasoned with himself that it was just a coincidence that this man happened to resemble him, when his eyes rested on another book that opened to a full-page portrait of another man that looked like him. The clothes looked extremely old, resembling those which Nearly Headless Nick wore. He leaned in closer to get a better look, then shied away. 

"Crap, it's me!" 

But wait--of course it wasn't him. He was here…and he can't be here and there at the same time. Draco backed away from the table, then ran out of the library. 

~*~*~ 

Ginny knew Draco was staring at her. She could feel his gaze bore into her back, forcing her to turn around. She forced her mind on the conversation that was being said and looked intent upon the food on her plate. When her friends got up she got up, walking past the Slytherin table, keeping her eyes away from Draco. Ginny was thankful that now breakfast was over she could continue her day without worrying about Draco. That was when the strap of her bag broke. 

"No!" Ginny screamed as notes fell out and an ink bottle bust open. 

Ginny looked up and saw her group of friends hadn't noticed her dilemma, they were walking further away from her down the corridor. She hurriedly began shoving papers in her bag and was prepared to use a cleaning spell on the ink when she felt a cold shiver down her back. Before she could turn around she felt him come up behind her. 

"You can't run from me forever." He whispered into her ear as he grabbed her wrist, tightening his grip. 

Ginny's heart began to race within her chest. The blood was pounding in her head and fear began to take over. The pain in her wrist wasn't as strong as it should have been, for her every thought was bent on trying to get away. 

"Ow!" Ginny screamed, finally feeling the sharp pain shoot up her arm. "What are you trying to do, break my arm?" 

"I want some answers!" 

Ginny quickly turned around, hoping that she would startle Draco into letting her go, but his grip was ever tighter. 

"I don't know what you're talking about." Ginny reached her other hand towards Draco's fingers, trying to pry him off of her. 

"Listen!" Draco grabbed her other hand and gave her a quick shake. "What were you doing in the library last night?" Silence. "Answer me!" 

"Homework!" Ginny shouted, wincing in pain. 

"Tell me the truth now." Ginny closed her eyes, willing him to leave. "You were in the library, doing I don't know what, but it had to do with me." 

Ginny's eyes opened wide, How did he know that? 

"So it's true." Draco smiled. "Don't look at me as if I'm reading your mind. Even a three year old could read your face like a book. But I don't know what you wanted. Why?" 

Before Draco could force another answer out of her they heard foot steps coming towards them. Other students were coming out of the Great Hall to get to their first classes. Draco released his hold on Ginny's arm and she began to rub the sore spot. 

"We'll meet again, Weasley, and you'll tell me everything." Draco walked away from her as if they had just had friendly little chat. 

Ginny fell to the floor, forcing back the flood gate. She picked her things up off the ground and headed towards her first class. 

~*~*~ 

The day ended and found Ginny sitting alone by the common room fire. Students were getting geared up for the Holiday Seasons, McGonogall had come around that day and took the names down of those students who'd be staying. Her and Ron were going to be staying at Hogwarts, partly because the house would be full to brimming with all the relatives visiting, and partly because they wanted to keep Harry company. But Ginny's thoughts were far from the Holidays. 

Ginny looked up at all the faces around her. They looked so happy and so content, like nothing could tarnish their joy. Even Harry, who had been through far worse than she, seemed to be having a great time. Why was this affecting her so much? Her eyes rested on Lisa. More than once she had wanted to tell Lisa everything, but she couldn't find the courage. Lisa would believe her, but she didn't want to be asked a thousand questions and have to go through things more than once. But tonight Ginny gave way to her impulse. 

"Lisa!" Ginny called. "Could you come here a minute?" 

Lisa excused herself from a conversation with Dean and walked over to Ginny, sitting next to her. "What is it?" 

Ginny took a deep breath, "I'm ready to tell you what happened." 

Lisa's expression grew serious and she nodded her head. 

Ginny related everything that had happened, every detail she could remember. When she was finally finished it felt like a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She should have known that sharing her troubles with her best friend would help. 

"Wow," Lisa finally said. "And Draco looked like all the other boys?" Ginny nodded her head. "Gin, I know you probably don't want to hear this, but I think Draco and you—that is—you're destined for each other." 

Ginny moaned, "Please don't say that." 

"No, Ginny, I really believe that's it." 

"But he hates me! Look what he did to me today!" Ginny raised her arms and showed the red marks that were left over from earlier. 

"You said your last life he died before you could confess your love…before you could tell him you really loved him, contradicting that other guy. He called you a temptress…a traitor." Lisa paused. "Ginny, Draco carried those feelings into this life and he's taking his revenge, so to speak." 

"No, no, no!" Ginny cried. "It can't be!" 

Lisa looked sadly at her friend. It felt horrible not being able to do something about this, to watch someone you care about go through a tough trial. 

"What am I going to do?" Ginny asked. 

"You have to tell him," Lisa said. 

"Yeah, how? 'Draco, I know you hate me and want to see me writhing on the floor in pain, but we're meant to be lovers, so let's put away these bad feelings snog in the nearest empty class room.' I'm sure he'd go for that." 

"I don't know what to tell you Gin." 

Ginny breathed deeply, then got up from the couch. She walked out of the common room into a cold corridor. She paced back and forth outside the portrait of the Fat Lady, then began to walk away. She knew Draco would be lurking somewhere, trying to take his anger out on someone else since Ginny wasn't around. Well, Ginny was going to make herself available. For better or worse, she was seeking him out. 

He wasn't in the Great Hall, nor was he down by the dungeons. She had thought about checking the Quidditch Pitch, but it was snowing outside, and no person in their right mind would venture out of doors. The library was her last resort, and if he wasn't in there she was going to give up. 

Only a few seventh years were in the library, trying to get a hard start on their studies and be prepared for their N.E.W.T.'s. Ginny searched the many nooks and sitting areas of the library before she came across the boy she was looking for. He was seated at a round table, a few books opened around him, a quill in his hand. His back was towards her, so he didn't notice as she walked up behind him. He was running his finger down a column in one of the books and was just beginning to write something down on a piece of parchment when Ginny made her presence known. 

"Ahem," She cleared her throat. "I'm reading to tell you everything." 


	7. Chapter 7: Surfacing Secrets

(A/N: Ok, I had been having the opposite of a writers block. I couldn't decide where I wanted to have this story go. I was thinking of keeping it light, but then thought that a life where Draco and Ginny try and get together is anything but light. So, I hope I'll be able to pull this story off. Comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated!) 

**Forever With You**

Chapter Seven: Surfacing Secrets

Draco stopped writing then looked behind him at Ginny. "Not now, Weasley." He sounded annoyed, then he returned to his studies. 

Ginny's mouth dropped open. This boy was ready to physically torture her into saying what she was doing in the library earlier and now he acted as if she were merely going to tell him about the weather conditions outside. Ginny closed her mouth then walked right up to him. 

"Excuse me, but I'm ready to tell now." Ginny looked down at Draco, but he paid no attention to her. "Look, I'm not just going to wait around for you to come around when you feel like it. I'm ready to tell you now…not ten minutes ago, and not later. Now." But he still wasn't paying attention to her. "Stop!" Ginny reached her hand towards his books and pushed them all off the table. 

"What do you think you're doing?" Draco yelled, standing up. 

"Getting your attention," Ginny said. "And by the looks of it I'd say I succeeded." 

"Do you have a death wish or something?" 

"I wouldn't play Quidditch if I didn't." 

Draco looked at her incredulously. He had Ginny cringing in front of him earlier, and now here she was, ready to stand up to him. His lips formed a sort of smile as he stared at the firey red head. 

"You are rather daring on the broom," Draco admitted, "But you always fall off." 

"Only when stupid gits push me off." 

"Look, Weasley, I don't have time right now." Draco began picking the books up and putting them on the table. "I have an essay due for Transfiguration, and McGonogall won't be as forgiving as she is to the Gryff's." 

"Are you trying to say that you think it's unfair?" Ginny said. "Oh, so Snape favoring the Slytherins is ok." 

"Weasley, get out of my hair!" 

Ginny shot her eyes towards his hair involuntarily, and she saw Paco. His hair would always fall that way when he bent to pick her a bouquet. And the way the muscles in his arm tightened was just like Kye, so very athletic looking. Ginny closed her eyes shut, trying to wipe away the memories. 

"Draco, you can do your work all you want, but I'm only going to tell you once, and right now is it." Ginny sat down across from Draco. He gave a heavy sigh, placed his quill down, then leaned back in his chair. "Ok, this is going to sound strange, but here it goes. 

"Trelawney has this mirror that can show you your past lives and, well, I stole it." Ginny told the story of how she felt herself pulled into the mirror and waking up as someone else, though she didn't realize it until the mirror's affects faded. She told him of the past lives and the different men in them; those who loved her, and those who tore her away from love. She said that once she had come back she realized that she had been those people, that their feelings had been in her forever, but the mirror woke them up. She then said how she wanted to disprove what she knew to be true by researching it in the library, but the results came out positive. 

"So what does this have to do with me?" Draco asked once she was finished. 

Ginny looked down at her hands, "You were the one I loved." 

"What was that? Speak up!" Draco demanded. 

"You were the one I loved!" Ginny shouted, staring right at him. She could feel her cheeks turn red as she stood up and backed away from the table. "That's all…good night." 

She began to walk away but she could hear the chair scraping on the floor, signifying that Draco had gotten up. 

"That's all?" He said putting himself in front of her. 

"Yeah." 

"You tell me that we've, er, loved each other for centuries in different lives, and then you say 'that's all?' What if I don't believe you?" 

"You don't have to, I don't care. I just wanted you to stop bugging me so I told you." Ginny by-stepped him. 

"Wait." Draco grabbed her arm. "What if I do believe you?" 

Ginny stopped, feeling the warmth of Draco's hand on her arm. She turned around and looked into his eyes. They were so unreadable. 

"Where would that put us?" 

Ginny shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know." 

"Well, I can see why my 'past lives' must have loved your 'past lives.' You either had wealth, fame or beauty. But seeing as fate robbed you of all three in this life, I think I'll pass and wait for the next." Draco let her arm go, then headed back to the table. 

Ginny could feel the tears swell in her eyes and before she made a spectacle of herself she ran from the library and into the dark cold corridors of Hogwarts. 

~*~*~ 

It was the day before the Winter Break and those students that were leaving Hogwarts were greatly anticipating getting home. Those who were staying were wondering what decorations would festoon the Great Hall this year. As many students chatted about what they were going to do for Christmas during breakfast, there was one seat empty. 

Ginny absolutely refused to be in the same room with Malfoy. He had hurt her and she went crying to her dorm room. Lisa tried comforting Ginny, but Ginny just wanted to cry and let all the feelings out. Later that night Ginny had laid awake in bed, letting her thoughts engulf her. She wished she had never seen that stupid mirror, or that it had broken while she was transporting it to her room. She had once thought about letting Draco see it and go through the same memories she had, but thought against it. She didn't want Draco to like her…not any more. 

"Draco isn't them," She said aloud. "Even if they were his past lives, he's not them…" 

And so Ginny ate in her room and avoided Draco the whole day. But it seemed that he was avoiding her too because she hadn't seen him all day. They did have classes on the same floor and occasionally passed each other while on their way to another class, but today she hadn't seen him at all. 

Finally the day ended. Most students celebrated by going outside and having a snow fight while those going home went up to their dorms and began packing. The crisp cool air caused Ginny's cheeks to turn rosy and her red hair was set off beautifully by the white snow around her. She joined in the snow fight, flinging a couple at Ron and Harry, then retreating behind Hermione. Lisa was making a snow angel with a boy from Hufflepuff, and life seemed good. Ginny hadn't thought about her past lives for the better part of two hours before it was time to head back to warm common rooms and drink hot cocoa. 

"Hey, Gin, do you mind if I see the marks you got on your Potions essay?" Lisa asked as they neared the Gryffindor Tower. 

"Sure, the scroll is—in…" Ginny stopped mid stepped, then slapped her palm against her forehead. "Stupid, stupid, stupid." She yelled. 

"Ginny, stop hitting yourself!" Lisa laughed, pulling Ginny's palm away from her forehead. 

"I left the scroll on Snape's desk. Remember he asked to see me after class? I put the scroll down and listened to him berate me for using ink color other than black, then I left without picking up my essay." Ginny paused. "But I bet I can get it back. He'll probably be in the teacher's lounge and I'll ask him if he picked it up by chance." 

"I don't know, Gin, that's risky business." Lisa said. 

"There's probably more teachers in there and he can't act malicious in front of them…don't worry, I'll be safe." 

Ginny left Lisa in front of the portrait of the fat lady and headed towards the teacher's lounge. She had been there once before when she had gotten detention in Snape's and was made to dust and scrub the walls. She probably knew that room better than any of the teachers did. When she arrived at the door she knocked before opening the door and peeking in. Professor Sinistra was sitting on a chair talking to little Professor Flitwick. She walked up to them meekly and asked if they had seen Professor Snape. 

"No, Miss Weasley," Professor Sinistra said. "I think he's still in the dungeons, taking inventory for the Spring." 

Ginny thanked her, then walked out. She walked towards the Potions class room, noticing how the further down she went the colder it got. She had to use her wand light to guide her when some of the torches went out because a large gust of wind came in through a crack in a window. Finally she reached the Potions class and she knocked timidly on the door before opening it. No one was in the class but a noise was coming from the store room, so Ginny walked towards the open door way and peered in. Professor Snape had a quill in one hand and a piece of parchment in the other and while he was looking at all his ingredients, he'd write down the names of those he needed to replenish. 

Ginny cleared her throat, getting his attention. "Professor, sir, I was wondering if you have seen my Potions essay…I left it on your desk earlier." 

Professor Snape eyed Ginny and then as if remembering something, he spoke, "Ah, yes, I found it a few minutes ago. It's still on the desk, though I've made some alterations in the grade." 

Ginny was scared. She rushed to his desk and picked up the essay where her purple ink sparkled up at her and at the top of the page were two numbers, one being crossed out. The crossed out number read eight three points. The new number read seventy three with a small paragraph written next to it; "Points taken for being careless." Ginny heard malicious laughter coming from the store room, but she didn't want to stick around and argue about her grade. She headed out of the Potions class room, feeling dejected. That's when she heard the soft moaning. 

The corridor was very dark and cold and not many class rooms were down in the dungeons. Ginny knew that the Slytherins had their common room down here some where, but she heard it was concealed behind a statue of Slytherin and there was no statue where she was. There was, however, a door that was partly open. Cautiously, Ginny walked towards the door and peeked in. 

The first thing she noticed was a single barred window at the top of a very tall wall. The moon was shining down into the otherwise dark room, causing the only thing in the room to glow. Ginny squinted her eyes at the thing lying on the floor and jumped when she heard the moaning again. Registering that the thing was human, Ginny rushed towards the figure and fell to her knees by its side. 

"Are you okay?" She asked. 

The person was lying face down on the floor, but she knew it was a boy by his short hair and Hogwarts uniform. She lowered her hand to shake him by the arm and screamed when she felt something warm and sticky; blood. There was nasty gash on the persons arm and Ginny contemplated leaving the victim here to get Snape, or try and revive him herself. She turned the person over and cradled his head in her lap. Even in the moonlight his face was pale, and Ginny recognized him instantly; Draco Malfoy. 

Ginny sighed deeply. She had to get over her feelings in order to think clearly. She had to save him from bleeding to death. She took her hair ribbon and tied it to his arm above the cut, then moving his head slightly, she began to take off her shirt, leaving her shivering in just a white tank top. She crumpled up the shirt and held it firmly over the wound, the shirt slowly soaking with his blood. 

Draco's eyes slowly opened and he stared up at Ginny as if he couldn't see her clearly. 

"Draco?" Ginny saw his eyes open. "What did you bloody do to yourself?" 

Ginny could have been wrong, but she thought she saw him smile. 

"Draco, do you know any healing spells? I need to get your wound to stop bleeding, but I don't know any spells." 

Draco swallowed deeply, then opened his mouth to speak, but he words wouldn't come. He tried again and this time he muttered a word that was just barely audible. Ginny repeated the words, holding her wand towards the injured arm. She lifted the shirt and found that underneath the stain of blood, his wound had closed. Ginny still had his head in her lap and she was stroking his hair absentmindedly, thinking of how life would have been…should have been. 

"I'm feeling better." Draco said and he began to sit up. 

Ginny stood up with Draco. 

"Um, thanks," Draco muttered, breaking the awkward silence. 

"What were you doing?" Ginny asked with real concern in her voice. 

"That's none of your business." It seemed Draco was feeling a lot better since he was back to his original self. 

Before Ginny could ask any more impertinent questions, Draco left the room, leaving her behind. Ginny was really confused. She didn't understand that after all Draco had done to her; pushed her off her broom, caused her physical, as well as mental, pain, and brushed her off on many occasions; why she still loved him. She knew he felt something other than hate towards her as well. She could feel it. 

Her eyes roamed around the room as if searching for the answer that would solve all her problems, when they landed on a book by the door she hadn't noticed before. Draco must have left it. 

"Draco!" She yelled, but he was already long gone. 

She walked towards the book and picked it up. Holding her wand light up to the cover, she read the title, "How To Become An Animagi; All About Finding Your corresponding Animal To Registering." Ginny wondered what Draco was doing with this, he was still an under aged wizard. Then it hit her. 

"He's trying to become an illegal animagi!" 


	8. Chapter 8: The Warning

(A/N: I can already tell this story is going to be pretty long 'cause I know I'm no where near the end...partly because I don't know what I want the end to be, lol. Again, any suggestions and ideas are greatly appreciated!) 

**Forever With You**

Chapter Eight: The Warning

She looked up again and he still wasn't at the table. She returned to her plate and a few seconds later found herself looking up yet again. It was the tenth time that morning and breakfast was almost over. Most students were already getting up, ready to go out on the grounds and finish the snow fight from yesterday, others wanted to just lounge around their common rooms. But one students hadn't showed up: Draco Malfoy. 

Ginny hated herself for wondering what happened to Draco. She hated herself for worrying about his health and she hated herself for caring. Taking one last look at the Slytherin Table—which was now empty—Ginny got up and followed some Gryffindors to the common room. 

No matter how hard she tried she couldn't get her mind off of Draco. She desperately needed to know how he was doing. That cut on his arm looked pretty bad and if he didn't see someone about it it could escalate into something fatal. And then Ginny realized that he could be in the Hospital Wing. Ginny ducked out of the common room, dodging questions, and headed towards the Hospital Wing. 

As she walked down the crisp cold corridors she wondered how he had received the injury. He obviously was using the deserted class room to practice becoming an animagus. What kind of animal would he make? Dragon automatically entered her head because of his name, but she just couldn't see him as something huge and bulky. He definitely wouldn't be a snake…she hoped he wouldn't be a snake. She had suddenly come upon the doors of the Hospital and she slowly pushed them open. She saw Pompfrey on the other side of the room putting away some linen then walk into her office and shut the door. Ginny sneaked into the room quietly. 

The room was brightly lit by the tall windows. All the beds were empty and there was no sign of any one. She was about to leave when she heard voices coming from Pompfrey's office. Ginny put her ear to the door to listen. 

"Thank you, Headmaster, for coming." 

"It is no problem, although I would prefer not being summoned through the fire place…I'm rather allergic to the soot." Dumbledor gave a few quick sneezes. 

"Ah, yes, I always forget…sorry." Pompfrey said, "It's happened again." 

"More supplies?" 

"Yes, this time some gauze, pain relieving potion and disinfectant. Someone obviously stole those things for a reason and it worries me to know a student, or Professor, is out there hurting." There was a short pause in which Pompfrey mumbled something like, "even though I don't ask questions…I'd rather not know what these kids do to get such serious injuries…it's not my job to hand out detentions." 

"Poppy, this makes the third time this year…not counting the other numerous time over the years. Do you think it could be the same person?" 

"I do, especially since it's happened during a holiday break." 

"Alright, I will ask the teachers to keep an extra eye on any student who looks as if they have an injury they are trying to hide. In the meantime I suggest asking Professor Flitwick to put an Impenetrable Charm on the cupboards." 

"I will, thank you Headmaster." 

"Now, if you don't mind I'll head out through the door." 

Ginny's eyes opened wide, and she quickly began running but as soon as she heard the door handle turn she turned around and acted as if she had just walked into the room. Dumbledor walked out and was startled when he saw Ginny coming toward him. 

"Hello Miss Weasley, is there anything you need?" 

"Um, yes…" 

"Well?" 

"Oh, right…" Ginny racked her brain for an excuse. "Well, I needed…um, that is…some pepper up potion! I'm not feeling too well—probably just a cold." 

"Madam Pompfrey is right through there, she'll be able to help you." Dumbledor smiled, his eyes twinkling in the sunlight. Ginny watched him walk out of the room, then sighed with relief. 

She made her way out of the Hospital Wing. So Draco's been injured more than once, She thought. And now he's stealing supplies from the Hospital Wing to cure himself. It's no wonder he doesn't want Pompfrey to know, becoming an illegal animagus is a serious offense. 

~*~*~ 

That night at dinner Ginny was relieved to finally see Draco. He looked paler than usual, but he kept up any conversation that was directed towards him. There were only seven Slytherins that were staying for Christmas, two of them being seventh years, like Draco. Pansy did whatever Draco did, and the other was Crabbe. Ginny wondered where Goyle was. She had never seen Crabbe without Goyle and the two of them without Draco. 

Ginny would take a few bites of her food, then look up to make sure Draco was still in his seat. She wasn't paying attention to anything Lisa was telling her, which didn't seem to matter since Lisa just needed to feel as if someone was listening. While Lisa's voice was echoing in the background, Draco's face was clear in the foreground. She still couldn't get over the way he looked so much like the men from her past lives. It was uncanny! 

Finally, right when the desserts appeared on the table, Ginny saw Draco get up. She looked at Pansy and Crabbe, making sure they wouldn't follow. Both of them had a look of desperation on their faces as if they wanted to follow Draco, but they didn't want to leave their dessert untouched. The food won out and Draco walked, alone, out of the Great Hall. 

"I gotta go," Ginny muttered to Lisa as she got up from the table. 

"Hey, wait, you didn't hear the rest of my story!" 

"You can tell me later!" Ginny called back, not turning around. 

As soon as Ginny entered the corridor outside the Great Hall she stopped to listen. She could hear footsteps coming from the right and she quickly followed. While she was walking she put a silencing charm on her feet so her footsteps wouldn't echo off the walls. Silently she followed Draco down the halls and stair cases and into the dungeons. She heard the footsteps stop and she peaked her head around the corner to see Draco standing in front of a tall stature of Salazar Slytherin. She couldn't hear what he said, but suddenly the statue moved to the side, revealing an opening in the wall. Draco passed through the opening and the statue began to move back. Ginny quickly rounded the corner but it was too late; the statue was in place. 

"Great! I should have stopped him before he got this far!" Ginny yelled at herself. 

She contemplated going back up to her common room and trying to take her mind off of things, but she opted for waiting. Maybe Draco would be coming down soon. Ginny sat down in a shadowy corner of the corridor where she had a good view of the statue. As she sat she remembered something Professor Binns had said a few weeks ago about the castle before it was turned into Hogwarts. People were tortured down in the dungeons; Muggles and Wizards and Witches alike. She shivered from the cold. 

Only a few more minutes passed before Draco came back out. He looked a little angry and his fists were clinched. Ginny backed up in the corner a little more and waited for what he'd do next. He stood there for a second before he turned and walked right passed Ginny, further into the dungeons. Ginny quickly followed, nearly losing him in the dark labyrinth. They finally came to the classroom where she had found him the night before. He entered the room, forgetting to close the door all the way. Ginny walked slowly towards the door and was about to peak through the crack when a hand reached out and grabbed her! 

She was pulled roughly into the room then slammed up against the stone wall-- scratches and bruises forming on her back and arms. Ginny hit her head on the stones and wanted to rub the sore spot, but her arms were pinned to her sides. She could feel tears of pain form in her eyes as she looked up into Draco's face. 

"What do you think you're doing?" He asked through clinched teeth. 

"You're hurting me." Ginny muttered. 

Draco gave her a quick shove into the wall, "Answer me!" 

"How did you know I was following you?" 

"Let's just say I was trained that way…now the next thing you say better be the answer to my question." 

Ginny bit her bottom lip, trying to fight back the pain. She could feel his grip tighten on her arms. "Ok! I'll tell you! Just let me go!" 

Draco glared at her through squinted eyes. He released one of his hands while the other gripped even tighter on her arm. His free hand reached for her pockets and Ginny jumped at his touch. 

"Hey, stop that!" Ginny began to struggle out of his grasp, but it was useless. 

His hand searched her other pocket. Not finding what it was looking for, he went for her back pockets. Finally, he withdrew his hand with her wand, then let her go and backed away. 

"Couldn't have you using this, now could I?" He twirled her wand in his hand. "Now the answer." 

"I, um, wanted to see if you were alright." 

"Don't lie, Weasley." 

"I'm not!" She yelled. "Does it surprise you that someone actually cares about your welfare?" 

"Even if you feel that way, which I doubt, that's not the reason you were following me. Now out with it." 

Ginny looked down at her empty hands. She never thought she would grow dependant on her wand, but now that she didn't have it she felt naked. 

"I wanted to see if you were alright and to tell you something." She looked up at his face, which held no expression. "Did you steal the supplies from the Hospital Wing?" 

For the first time Ginny saw his face show surprise…true surprise. He soon recovered from the foreign emotion, and his face resumed it's usual candor. 

"Pompfrey knows and so does the Headmaster." 

"What can they do? Nothing." 

"Draco, you could get into trouble. Not because of stealing a few supplies, but becoming an illegal animagus. This is serious stuff, Draco, the Ministry doesn't take it lightly. Plus you could get hurt…like you have…only worse." 

"I don't need you to watch over me, Weasley. Leave me alone." 

"You don't get it, do you? People have been seriously injured trying to do what you're doing without professional assistance and supervision. St. Mungos is full of botched animagus patients that have gone crazy from the trauma. Some have even died…" 

"And some have been successful. I'm not the first illegal animagus at school, and I probably won't be the last. Now if you just hand me the book I'll let you go." Draco held his hand out as if Ginny usually carried other people's misplaced books around. 

"I don't have it with me…it's in my room." 

"Well we'll just have to go get it." 

"No!" Ginny shouted. "I won't let you do this!" 

"Ginny!" Draco rushed forward, anger igniting in his eyes. 

"I'm not going to do it!" 

"Yes you will!" 

"No I won't!" 

"You'll be sorry!" 

"I don't care!" 

"Why are you doing this?" 

"Because—" 

"Why?" 

"Because—" 

"Tell me the bloody reason!" Draco shouted. 

Ginny shouted the next words at the top of her lungs, "Because I love you!" Then her hands went up to her mouth. 

~*~*~ 

Lisa looked over at Ginny. She was staring at the fire biting her fingernail on her forefinger while the other was wrapped around her bent knees. Lisa couldn't take it any more. She had watched Ginny suffer long enough. Lisa realized that Ginny wouldn't go to any one for help…so help would have to go to her. 

"Ginny," Lisa said, startling Ginny. "Ginny, you better tell me what's wrong, right now." 

"Please, just leave me alone." Ginny said, then looked back at the blazing fire. 

Lisa looked around the common room, making sure none of the other students could hear. "Ginny, I know this has to do with Draco. Please tell me…I might be able to help." 

Ginny looked up into Lisa's eyes and felt the wall she had built around herself begin to tumble down. She did need to tell someone or she would go crazy! She broke down, right there, in front of the fire. Luckily the other students were so engrossed with a chess game that they didn't notice the stifled sobs. Ginny told Lisa everything up until the point she had told Draco she had loved him. 

"What did he do?" Lisa asked, holding her breath. 

"He just walked away, like I wasn't even worth his time." 

There was a short pause in which Ginny collected herself and Lisa thought about what she had been told. 

"Ginny, you don't even know Draco…and what you do know of him is that he's mean and selfish." 

"You don't get it, Lisa. Every time I see him I remember the others. And I know that deep within him is the same man I have loved for centuries. He was just raised differently in this life. I feel like I'm the oldest person in the world…I probably am." 

"Gin, do you think we should tell Dumbledore…about him becoming an animagus?" 

"No!" Ginny yelled, causing a few students to look her way. She lowered her voice, "No, Lisa, I don't want him in trouble. I still have his book and I'll keep my eye on him." 

"Ginny, as a friend I'm telling you to forget him. He's no good." 

"I can't." Ginny got up and left the common room. 

~*~*~ 

Christmas morning dawned bright and cheerful. The blizzard from the night before cast a white blanket across the grounds and the sun filtered through the dorm rooms, causing the inhabitants to awake and see the surprise at the end of their beds. Ginny was woken up by Lisa and Hermione who gathered their presents and entered the common room where Ron, Harry and a few of the other Gryffindors who stayed for Christmas had congregated. They all began to open their gifts, exclaiming over them and showing them off. Ron and Ginny graciously shared the fudge they had received and donned their new sweaters. 

Ginny received a set of colored ink from Ron and a sketch pad from Hermione, that had her name embossed on the front in gold curly cursive. Harry had gotten her a gift certificate to Gladrag's in Hogsmeade and Lisa gave her a Muggle novel. Everyone was busy trying out their new gifts to notice that Ginny had one more left. It was a simple envelope that had her name written on the front, and no other clue as to who had given it to her. She slowly opened the envelope and pulled out the parchment within and read; 

_It would be worth your wile to stay away from me, unless you want your family weeping for their lost daughter. _

Draco Malfoy. 


	9. Unexpected Visitor

(A/N: Alrighty, I know, shorter chapter than usual, but what can ya do? Well, you can't do anything, so ha!

please, don't listen to anything i'm saying, it's 3:00 in the morning...) 

**Forever With You**

Chapter Nine: Unexpected Visitors

Ginny's dreams had begun to subside. She no longer would awake, drenched in sweat, her heart pounding furiously inside her chest. She no longer found herself taking sidelong glances at Draco to see if he were safe in the Great Hall. She began to concentrate on having fun, for the holiday was nearly over. The worst thing that could happen, she thought, is forgetting what I've learned when school starts back up. But Ginny hadn't counted on one thing. 

The morning that the other students arrived, not everyone showed up. The answer as to why came in the Daily Prophet. Half a dozen students from Hogwarts went missing during the holiday. The odd thing about it was that every single kid that went missing had a parent in a top department at the Ministry. This coincidence was pointed out in the article, making some of the other students shiver with fear. 

"Don't worry, Gin." Ron said, putting his arm around her shoulders. "The Muggle Department isn't anywhere near the top…we're safe." 

But Ginny's forlorn look wasn't for herself…it was for Laura. After Ron left Ginny turned her head to face her friend. Laura's usual chatter was gone and so were her smiles. Ginny knew that Laura's Father was an Unspeakable. He couldn't even tell his family what he did, but the Department he was in was pretty high up. 

"Don't worry, Laura." Ginny said softly. "You're safe at Hogwarts." 

The students were constantly reminded of their missing classmates. In their honor many memorials had been put up around the school and the conversation as of late had been turned towards the absences. It was obvious to the Professors what was going on for the third night back Dumbledore stood up before dinner and made a statement. 

"It is sad to see some of our friends not here with us, but we must carry on." He paused. "The Ministry is working tirelessly to search for the missing persons and defensive enchantments have been placed around the castle, something that hasn't been done in a hundred years. We are all quite safe here, within the Hogwarts grounds, which brings me to my next subject; Hogmeade's visits are cancelled. And please, for your safety, remember that safety lies in numbers." 

As Dumbledore sat down, Ginny looked over towards the Slytherin table and saw that Draco had just got up to leave. Ginny had an overwhelming urge to get up and follow him, but Laura's presence beside her stopped her. The Great Hall was very quiet during dinner, and only a few whispered conversations could be heard. After dinner the students were told to go directly to their common rooms. 

~*~*~ 

The arrival of the Daily Prophet was greatly anticipated by the whole school. Even Dumbledore could be seen skimming the paper for any mention of the kidnapped children. No new discoveries were made and no leads had come to light. It was very disheartening for the student body to know that kids their age had been kidnapped and possibly being treated very badly, if not downright tortured, by Voldemort's followers. 

Those students that had parents in high positions in the Ministry were rarely seen anywhere alone and spent all of their free time in their house common rooms. Laura was among them. 

Laura and Ginny were both doing homework for separate classes besides the fire. Laura was sitting on the ground, her books propped on her knees while Ginny was sitting in a chair beside her. Laura closed the book then rummaged through her book bag for another. 

"Oh no," She moaned. 

"What is it?" Ginny asked, looking down. 

"I was supposed to check out a book to research ancient runes and I forgot to, what with all…you know." 

"It's not too late," Ginny said. 

Laura looked up at Ginny pleadingly, "Would you go to the library with me? I—I don't want to go alone." 

"Of course I will." Ginny stood up and helped Laura to her feet. 

The library wasn't too far from their tower. Ginny found it hard to keep up with Laura's fast pace, but she knew the reason behind it. Only a few groups of people were in the library, Madame Pince keeping her eyes on the students. She smiled as Ginny and Laura entered, then returned to the others. 

Ginny followed Laura to the runes section and waited until Laura found the book she needed. Laura searched the shelves twice before declaring the book she needed wasn't there any more. Ginny suggested asking Madame Pince who had it then going to that person and ask to borrow it. Laura agreed and headed towards the front desk. 

"Let me see," Madame Pince looked over her check-out list for the title. "Aha, it was checked out earlier today by Draco Malfoy." 

Laura gave a small whimper. It had been rumored around school that Malfoy's father had a connection with the missing people, along with other Slytherin student's parents. The only thing that kept all the kids from blaming the entire Slytherin House was the fact that one of their own was missing. Goyle had never returned to school, and his name was on the list of the missing persons. 

"It's ok, Laura." Ginny reassured her as they headed back to their common room. "I'm pretty sure I can get the book for you." 

"No, Ginny, there's no telling what he'll do. He may be scouting out other Ministry Official's children and reporting them to his Father." 

"Laura," Ginny said. "Remember, my Dad's low in the Ministry." Ginny smiled. "Besides, I think I have something of his that he'd be willing to make an even trade." 

Laura looked questioningly at Ginny, but Ginny refused to let any more information out. Once they reached the Gryffindor Tower Ginny headed up to her room and produced the Animagus book from the bottom of her trunk, put a shrinking spell on it, then placed it in her pocket. She left the tower quietly, making sure her brother wasn't watching, then headed down the dungeons towards the Slytherin Dungeon entrance. 

Ginny didn't know what she was hoping for, perhaps that the entrance was open and she'd just be able to walk in, or that Draco was waiting for her. But neither had happened. She looked around and noticed the quietness of the corridor. It seemed she'd have to return to the shadowy corner and wait for someone to come out to ask to speak with Draco. 

Just as Ginny was getting comfortable she heard the stone statue move and someone stepped out. Ginny was about to get up and speak, but she stopped as she saw Draco appear. He looked very shaken up about something, and checking both ways of the corridor to make sure no one was there, he headed down one way. Ginny began to follow him, trying not to lose him past the corners. This time she didn't want to hide herself, she wanted to catch up with him before she lost him. 

"Draco!" She yelled rather softly, not wanting it to echo off the walls and reach any one else's ears. When she heard no reply she began to run. 

She barely saw his body turn a corner up ahead and she yelled again, running faster to catch up. She entered the front of the castle and saw Draco head for the doors. She ran after him but he was already outside. Ginny opened the doors herself and saw him head towards the Forbidden Forest. She stood there for a few seconds, trying to decide if she should follow him or head back to her own Tower. She wanted to get the book tonight so Laura wouldn't get bad marks on her homework, but she also didn't want to be caught outside the castle passed curfew. 

Ginny took a deep breath, then headed out the doors. 

~*~*~ 

The sun was setting fast and Ginny could barely make out Draco's form in the dark. She ran faster and faster, her feet sinking softly in the muddied ground. The cold air chilled her lungs and she could feel the heat rise in her cheeks. She looked up and for a moment she thought she lost sight of Draco, but then she saw his hair shine in the last rays of the sun. He was at the edge of the forest now, just standing there. Ginny was nearing him now, but it wasn't until she was a couple yards away that he noticed her. 

"What are you doing here?" He asked sharply as she came closer. 

"I've been trying to flag you down ever since you left the dungeons." 

Draco's eyed widened. "I thought I made myself clear in my note." He growled. 

"Look, I realize you don't want me to follow you any more, but this isn't for me, it's for Laura. You have a book she needs and I was wondering if I could borrow it from you." 

"You followed me out here for a stupid book?" He sounded incredulous. 

"Er, yes." Ginny said rather stupidly. "I yelled your name but you didn't hear me." 

"Look, you have to leave, now." Draco began to push Ginny back towards the castle. 

"Wait, what about the book?" She dug her heels into the ground so he couldn't push her any more. 

"I'll give it to you later." 

"But Laura needs it now…I even brought this to barter with." Ginny moved aside so Draco couldn't push her any more and she brought out the shrunken book from her pocket. 

"Great," Draco said, taking the book and putting it in his own pocket. "You can go back to the castle and I'll bring you the book." 

"But you don't know which one I want." 

"You can tell me later." Draco once again began trying to push her back to the castle but to no avail. 

"What are you doing out here anyway?" She asked. 

"Going for a night stroll, now leave me alone!" He shouted. 

"Draco, you're going to get into trouble if you're out here passed curfew." Ginny said rather sternly, but a deeper voice coming from the forest startled Ginny. 

"Yes, Draco, you'll get into a lot of trouble." Lucius Malfoy stepped out from the shadows of the forest and came towards the two. 

Ginny stared dumb founded as Lucius came ever nearer, his evil smirk glowing in the darkness. He put a hand on his sons shoulder then looked from Draco to Ginny. 

"I'm glad to see, Draco, that you've done the impossible and gotten little Virginia alone. Does anyone else know she came out here with you?" 

"No, sir." Draco said, looking down at the ground. 

Ginny's fear increased as she listened to this short conversation. Her eyes flittered from Lucius to Draco, then back to Lucius as he continued. 

"Your letters sounded very unhopeful when you said that you couldn't get her alone. I'm glad to see that you were finally able to do what I asked you to do long ago. Now, go back up to the castle and wait further instruction." 

Ginny's eyes began to water and she hoped Draco wouldn't leave her with this man, but to her dismay he turned his back towards them and began to walk. 

"What are you going to do with her?" He turned to ask. 

"That's none of your business, is that clear?" 

"Yes, sir." 

Ginny watched as Draco's body grew smaller and smaller and finally he could no longer be seen. She made to turn around, but before she could accomplish that she heard Lucius mutter something and she blanked out. 


	10. Another Prisoner

﻿ (Authors Note: Alrighty, another chappy! Woo! I'm likin' where this is going! Thanks again for all your reviews. I would have stopped by now if it weren't for them!) 

**Forever With You**

Chapter Ten: Another Prisoner

It was cold, very cold. The sound of dripping water echoed around the room and it was so very cold. Ginny finally awoke partly because of the loud echo and partly because she was convulsing because of the cold. She was lying on the ground, which was stone like and clammy. At first she thought she had sleep walked to the dungeons, but she wasn't known to sleep walk. 

Ginny slowly tried to sit up but her body ached. She finally reached a sitting position and she wiped the dirt from her hands and looked at her surroundings. 

She was definitely in a dungeon of some sort, but it didn't look like it was at Hogwarts. The room was very small, probably no more than ten feet by ten feet. The walls were short also, and Ginny suspected that if she jumped she'd be able to touch the stone ceiling. There were only three walls of stone, and the third was an opening, covered by strong steal bars running vertically and horizontally. There was a small cot sitting against one wall that had a shaggy looking blanket on it, and opposite that was a round pot with a piece of cloth covering it. Ginny didn't need the flies hovering over it to tell her what that was supposed to be used for. 

The bars were as cold as ice and when Ginny put her hands on them she immediately backed away as if she'd been hurt. She edged closer to the bars, this time keeping her hands away, and looked out. Directly across from her was a similar room, but it was uninhabited. She looked to the left and saw a long hall stretching forever with other openings in the wall that were the front of rooms. To the right she could just barely make out the end of the long tunnel like hall and a steal door was etched in the wall. There were torches up and down the hall, casting eerie shadows on the wall. It was silent…and cold. 

"Hello?" Ginny cried a little quietly. She cleared her throat and tried again. "Is any one there?" 

Ginny thought she heard the sound of feet shuffling, but then again it could have been her own breath. She tried a few more times to catch someone's attention but it was no use. She seemed to be completely alone somewhere far from Hogwarts and the safety of friends and family. 

Out of pure curiosity, Ginny checked all her pockets searching for her wand, but it of course had been taken from her. Lucius must have pocketed it before dumping her in this place. Ginny's first instinct was to sit down and sob until she collapsed, but she was surprised at what she did do. 

Instead of sitting around, doing nothing, Ginny began searching the room for any sign that she could escape. She measured the size of the room with her feet (9 feet wide and 8 and a half feet long.) Reluctantly she placed her hands on the bars and shook each one, inspecting the areas where they protruded from the wall. Everything seemed tight and secure, but Ginny knew that humans must have built this cage and humans were undeniably flawed and so were their creations. 

~*~*~ 

Ginny had lost track of all time. She didn't know how long she had been there, but she was hungry and thirsty and suspected it had been at least twenty four hours since she'd first come here. She was beginning to feel exhausted from staying awake and the hunger pains kept her from sleeping more than fifteen minutes at a time. She was sitting on the cot, which smelled like stale rotten food, with her head in her hands trying to concentrate on something other than her hunger. 

"Fly past the opposing chasers…dodge the bludgers and ram into the seeker…throw the Quaffel and…and…" She gritted her teeth as another stab of pain shot through her middle. "…and a goal is made…" 

A noise was heard. It was the door! It had been opened and now footsteps were coming towards her. Ginny refused to look up, she didn't want her captors to see her in pain. A pair of footsteps stopped outside of her cell, but she heard other footsteps walk further down the corridor. 

"Virginia." Ginny would know that oily voice anywhere. 

Concentrating on the sound of the other footsteps, they stopped and the dangling of keys was heard. 

"Virginia Weasley." 

One of the other cells was unlocked and voices were heard. Muffled, she couldn't make them out! 

"Look at me now!" Lucius yelled and Ginny felt something hot hit her and an unexplained urge to look up took over. 

"That's much better." Ginny would have loved to slap that evil smile off of his face. "Did you know, Virginia, that the average person could live thirty days without food? But more than three days without water could kill someone. It wouldn't take much to have you killed." 

If Ginny had any spit in her mouth, she would have spat at his feet. She resorted to just glaring at him. 

Lucius snapped his fingers and out of the corner came a rather large man in dark robes. He handed Lucius a goblet, then backed away. 

"You can have water, if you want." Lucius maneuvered the cup through the bars. 

Ginny looked from the cup, then up to Lucius. She didn't move or make any attempt to. Lucius' smile turned to a frown and he dumped the contents of the cup on the ground, and dropped the cup itself, the sound echoing loudly off the walls. Another snap of his fingers and two more men came from the other side of the hall. They followed Lucius out of Ginny's sight. The footsteps grew fainter and then she heard the door slam shut. 

Ginny rushed towards the cup, scraping her knees on the stones. She picked it up and saw that a few drops of precious water were resting at the bottom. She tipped the cup and the water entered her mouth. For the first time she had been there she began to cry, but no tears came…she had no water left for tears. She threw the goblet against the wall, it bounced off then rolled towards the chamber pot. 

"Who's there?" A small squeaky voice asked. 

Ginny immediately stopped her crying and stood up, pressing her body against the bars and looked down the hall. 

"Hello?" She asked. 

"Who are you?" The voice asked. 

"I'm Ginny…who are you?" 

"I'm Lisbeth." 

Ginny could see a couple of arms stretch themselves outside of the bars of a cell a few yards away. She could make out a little girl with curly brown hair standing close to the bars. 

"How old are you?" Ginny asked. 

"I just turned eleven…where are we?" 

Ginny's heart went out to the poor girl. She didn't know whether if she were happy she was no longer alone, or if she were sad that someone else was sharing her fate. 

"Do you go to Hogwarts?" Ginny didn't know any first years. 

"No…what's Hogwarts?" 

"Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Did you go to another school?" 

"Witchcraft? Wizardry? What's going on? Where are my parents? I want my Mother!" The girl began to sob. 

Ginny's eyes opened wide at this news. "You mean…you're not a witch?" 

"I don't know what you're talking about!" 

"Who are your parents?" 

"Martha and Robert Halaway…my Dad's Prime Minister of England and he'll come and take those bad people to prison." 

Ginny fell against the wall and collapsed. She had heard that last time Voldemort gained power was marked by many disappearances, but no one mentioned Muggle kidnappings. This time he must want to take over not only the Magical world, but the Muggle one as well. 

~*~*~ 

Lisbeth's birthday was just last week and she recounted the party details. All her friends had showed up and she had gotten everything she asked for. She related the last twelve hours. She had been at home, doing homework, then watched a movie. After that she went up to her room and went to bed. She woke up because she thought she heard something large drop on the ground near by. She looked at her clock, the illuminated numbers read four thirty at night. And that was when she felt someone grab her from her bed and she couldn't remember anything after that until she woke up in the cell. 

Ginny tried to explain what was going on, but Lisbeth found it hard to believe. Witches? And Wizards? That was only fairy tale, fantasy book stuff. Nothing like that happened in real life. But Ginny told her that Witches and Wizards had been living peacefully along side Muggles for centuries, every once in a while a power hungry Witch or Wizard would try to usurp power and Muggle deaths by magic increased, but they all had been stopped. 

"But You-Know-Who is the worst." 

"Why do you call him 'You-Know-Who?'" 

"Because…everyone is afraid to speak his name." 

"But you don't remember the last time he tried to take over…so why do you say it?" 

"I guess…because everyone else does." Ginny paused to reflect. "Aren't there evil men in your world that people are afraid to speak their name?" 

"Well, maybe some people are…the weak ones. But the British are born free to speak whatever name they want to. We fight for our freedom and stand up to those who try and take it. We just learned about World War II; there were a lot of evil men doing evil things; Hitler, Musolini…and then later, in Russia, Stalin. Bad things are happening now, too. But we're not afraid…we even fought a war to free people from another country in the Middle East. People were afraid to speak their feelings about their government leader, but afterwards they pulled down his statue and destroyed it." 

"Really?" Ginny was impressed. She thought that Muggles were practically good for nothing and lived very sheltered lives because they had no magic. 

Ginny found it very comforting to speak with Lisbeth, and she guessed the feeling was mutual. She had forgotten about her hunger momentarily, but after so much talking she could feel her mouth dry up. She was about to ask Lisbeth if she could stop talking for a while when she heard the door open again. 

Ginny motioned with her hand for Lisbeth to back away from her bars and she did the same. She had just sat down on the cot when the same large man from before stood outside her cell. He laughed when he saw her, his broken teeth protruding from his mouth. But Ginny wasn't paying attention to his face, she was looking at what was in his hands. 

"Hungry, are yeh?" He said. "Would yeh gi'e me a kiss ef I gave yeh somethin' to eat?" 

"I'd rather starve." Ginny said, still not keeping her eyes off the tray of food. 

"Meybe the lit'le one would." 

"You stay away from her!" Ginny stood up and ran towards the bars. 

"Keep yer distance." The man barked. "Now back 'way from da bars." 

Ginny reluctantly backed away then watched as the man pulled a key ring from his belt and open the door. He haphazardly dropped a goblet of water on the ground, then shut the door. Ginny's heart sunk…she wasn't getting food? Ginny walked towards the bars and saw the man open Lisbeth's cell. He put the plate of food and another goblet of water in her cell, then shut the door. As he walked by he glared at Ginny, winked, then continued on his way. 

Dropping to the floor, and scraping her knees again, she grabbed the goblet and drank its entire contents. It was only after she had emptied the goblet that she wondered if the water had been spiked with a poison or drug. Ginny took inventory of herself; heart worked, mind worked, eyesight worked. Maybe it wasn't spiked. 

"I can't eat this!" Lisbeth said in disgust. 

"What is it?" 

"It looks like it's been left out for days!" 

Ginny's stomach growled…she'd have eaten anything at the moment, whether it's been left out or not. Maybe the food poisoning would finish her off. 

"I'm sure they've kidnapped you for a reason and aren't ready for you to die yet. I'm sure it's safe to eat." 

"No way!" 

"Lisbeth," Ginny stopped, trying to collect her thoughts. "Soon you'll be so hungry you wouldn't mind eating…worms. Now I suggest you eat it so you'll never reach that stage of hunger." 

There was silence, then Lisbeth said, "It tastes gross." 

"Um, would you mind…throwing a bit my way?" Ginny bit her bottom lip and looked towards Lisbeth's cell. 

The little girl appeared, and her arm reached outside the bars. She threw something in the air and Ginny reached out her arms to catch it, but it landed at her feet. She bent down and picked it up. It looked like meat that was undercooked and had the faint smell of decay. 

"Three second rule." Ginny said before popping it into her mouth. 

~*~*~ 

"Oooh," Ginny groaned. "I shouldn't have eaten that." 

Her stomach felt even worse than when she was hungry. Lisbeth was trying to comfort Ginny, but the pain was so strong, and a headache had formed, that everything that was going on around her was blocked out. Then something happened that made her situation ten times worse. She vomited the contents of her stomach, and was surprised she had that much stuff in her before. 

"I feel fine." Lisbeth said. "And I ate what I threw you." 

"I was already deprived of food." 

"Oh." 

Ginny crawled to her cot and laid down, wrapping the coarse blanket around her. She just wanted to sleep and never wake up again. Perhaps this was all a dream and she'd find herself in her room, probably late for first class. But the pain was too real. 

Hours must have gone by. Lisbeth would try and strike up a conversation, but Ginny was in no mood to participate. She could only lie there and stare at the impenetrable bars, and wonder if anyone was searching for her. 

~*~*~ 

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had spent the last two days awake, waiting for news of their daughter. When they had received the news that their daughter was missing they had gone directly to Hogwarts. Fudge was there, in Dumbledore's office, looking nervous. Dumbledore was seated at his desk and as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley sat he began. 

"The last person to see her was her friend, Lisa. She left the Gryffindor Tower at about six in the evening. When she didn't return, Lisa came to me. We instigated a search of the castle, which took all night. By morning no trace of your daughter was found, and we notified the proper authorities who then started a search of the grounds and surrounding areas. That is when I owled you. I was reluctant to speak to you until now because we wanted to make sure she hadn't wondered off." Dumblore stopped and studied the people in front of him then rested his gaze on Fudge. 

"Yes, well," Fudge stood up, his hat clutched in his hands. "We have found no trace of your daughter and suspect…fowl play." 

Mrs. Weasley sobbed onto her husbands shoulders. 

"Do you know who took her? Was there a ransom?" Arthur asked. 

"There was no ransom, and we do not know who—" Fudge was interrupted. 

"It was Voldemort." Dumbledore said. "You tried to cover up the previous disappearances, Fudge, but it'll do nobody any good to deny the facts." He looked towards the Weasleys and said in a softer tone, "Virginia is not the only one, although the first to be taken from Hogwarts. I believe someone she knew lured her outside of the grounds, where my magical protection stops, and took her." 

"Did you talk to this…friend of hers?" Arthur demanded. 

"Yes, Arthur, and she has been in hysterics ever since she came to me. Other Gryffindors can vouch that she had been in the common room the whole night." 

While the Weasley's, Fudge and Dumbledore were speaking in the Head Masters office, the students of Hogwarts were sitting quietly at breakfast. Everyone knew by now that Ginny had been taken. People averted their eyes when Ron entered the room, all afraid to look at him because his grief was so great. Harry and Hermione tried to comfort him, but he shook them off. 

Ron sat, staring at his food, not moving at all. 

"You need to eat something." Hermione persisted. 

Silence. 

"Ron, you haven't eaten since…since we found out about…" 

Silence. 

"Why?" He finally asked. "Why not me? Why Ginny? Why didn't they take me instead? Or Percy? He works in the Ministry _and_ he has a Father that works in the Ministry…isn't that like double points?" Ron began to cry. "Why Ginny?" 

From across the hall a certain boy watched as practically the whole school mourned. Well, he said to himself. I tried to warn her. But no matter how much he tried to justify it, it was his fault. He should have missed his meeting with his Father and escorted Ginny back up to the castle. He knew his Father had been after her for months. Wanted her to be the first student to go, but was very angry when Draco said he couldn't get her alone and that she wouldn't be leaving Hogwarts for the Christmas Holiday. 

In truth, Draco had been alone with her plenty of times. He could have handed her over to his Father any time he wanted to. But he didn't want to and he didn't know why…and it made him scared. 

Disgusted with himself, he stood up and walked out of the Great Hall. 

(Ok, I think I got all the symbols out. I have no idea how they got in there, but it must have been from the transfering of my text from Word to Notepad. I'll check in on it! Thanks for telling me about it!) 


	11. Hope For Freedom

ï»¿ (Authors Note: I've decided to let you name this chapter. In your reviews kindly suggest a chapter heading, and I will put that at the top of this chapter. If I choose your suggestion I will send you the next chapter ::as soon as it's ready:: a full day before I post it on ff.net. Toodles!) 

**Forever With You**

Chapter Eleven: (Untitled)

The air was hot and dry. The wind from the fans blew gently on her face. Kai was next to her, smiling, gently playing with her hair. Only he wasn't Kai any more, he was Draco, and she was Ginny. 

"I don't know what's happening." Her voices was laced with fear. 

"Shh," Draco brought his lips to hers. "I'll always be there for you." 

~*~*~ 

Ginny awoke with a start, breathing irregularly. _Just a dream._

The cell Ginny was in was beginning to stink. Ginny herself wasn't smelling so plesaant. She hadn't had a shower in who knows how long! Whenever she'd use the chamber pot, the, er, contents were disappear after a few seconds, but that didn't stop some smells from penetrating the air. And the ever present hunger was still there, gnawing away at her stomach. 

"I'm going to die." Ginny said softly to herself. 

She was laying down on the cot, her hands clasped together under her head, staring off through space. She somehow naively thought that she'd be rescued, taken home, properly fed, and that Lucius and his gang of Death Eaters would be severely punished. But days must have gone by, obviously under thirty days, seeing as Ginny wasn't dead yet. Every time that large, ugly man came in the prison hall, he'd have a plate of food for LIsbeth, but only a goblet of water for her. That goblets began to pile up, so the man demanded that she bring them to her. She merely glared at him, unmoving. He brought out a wand and thought for a moment, searching for a spell to bring the cups to him. After a few minutes he pointed the wand at the goblets and they came hurtling at him. He had missed one, however, it had rolled beneath the cot, but Ginny wasn't going to tell him that. 

A small tear trailed down Ginny's cheek, causing a little water splotch to appear on the thick stained mattress. Drip, drip, drip went the water leak, somewhere. Ginny could hear Lisbeth making movement in her own cell. Ginny didn't have the energy to speak with Lisbeth, to tell her everythign was going to be alright, that they would be saved. She no longer had the energy to believe it herself. She vaguely heard teh sound of footsteps in the hall, echoing, coming towards her. They stopped. 

"How long has she been like this?" Who was speaking? 

"Ever since yesterday, sir." More than one person this time? 

"Yes, well, I think it's time now." The first voice. 

Ginny tried to focus, her vision was blurry. She could see legs, facing towards her. She trailed up the legs and to the faces; Lucius and the large man. Lucius walked away, leaving the other man. 

"'ere's some food!" He said. 

Ginny's eyes locked on the palte that was in his hands, filled with food and steam was coming from it. There must be a mistake, Ginny thought. They only served Lisbeth cold scraps, and she was given hot, steaming food? Ginny could now smell the meat ands teamed vegetables, and she tried to get up, but she collapsed. 

"Take it or yeh don' get any!" 

Ginny flung herself off the bed, but she only tumbled to the floor, bruising her elbow in the process. She crawled to the bars, her greasy hair matted to her face, the stones cutting against her palms. It took ages, but she finally reached the bars and she grabbed the plate just before he let go. 

Ginny felt like crying! It was food! Real food! At first she could only take small bites, then allow her stomach to digest that, then more small bites. There was no water to wash it down with this time, but she didn't care. There was meat and carrots and potatoes with gravy. Ginny had never had such a wonderful meal in her life. She had nearly finished the whole plates contents when she felt exhaustion over take her, and she fell asleep on the stones in the front of her cell. 

~*~*~ 

"Aee you feeling better now?" Lisbeth asked. 

"Yes," Ginny replied, smiling to herself. "Much better." 

After the first plate of food Ginny didn't know what to expect. What she got, though, was the same stuff given to LIsbeth. She slowly began to regain her strength, but she was still incredibly skinny, and she began to grow a sort of fungus on her left foot. She hoped it wasn't serious. 

"I'm scared." LIsbeth squeaked. 

"I know." Ginny didn't know waht to say. 

It seemed that if anyone was out looking for her, they were obviously looking in the wrong palce. Where was she, anyway? She knew LUcius wouldn't be stupid enough to keep her and Lisbeth in or around his own house. Were they even in England? Britain? Europe? And how long had she been down here? She had come to realize that the meals were given two times a day. If she looked back and caluculated how often that was, approximately seven days...since Lisbeth came. Who knows how long she'd been there before? 

It was then that GInny decided she'd have to get herself out of this place, but how? The locks were probably locked with magic, and there were possibly guards outside that door at the end of the hall. She had no strength to accomplish anything! 

"Lisbeth, how are you feeling?" Ginny asked, suddenly. 

"How-I'm feeling?" LIsbeth paused. "Good, I guess...what do you mean?" 

"I mean, do you feel weak or sick?" 

"No, I feel fine." 

"If we had to walk miles, would you be able to?" 

"Miles? I guess I could..." Lisbeth took a deep breath, then continued excitedly. "Are we going to get out of here? Do you have a plan?" 

"Shh!" Ginny demanded. "You never know who's listening... Yes, I think I have a plan, but I need a few days to think over it. I need to build up some strength. What do they give you for food? Is it the same stuff, or different stuff each time?" 

"Different...like they've given me the leftovers of their meals." 

"Same here...listen, last time I got a roll, did you? Great, next time you get something that won't rot, like a roll or carrots or anything that could keep for a few days, hide it somewhere, ok?" 

"Where?" 

Ginny looked around her own cell...good question. She walked over to the cot to examine it thorougly. She only had one blanket and a sorry excuse for a pillow, with a dirty pillow case on top of it. 

"Take the pillow case off of the pillow and put it underneath your cot as far back as it'll go. When they bring you the food, put the stuff you're going to save inside the pillow case." 

"But won't they notice my pillow doesn't have a covering?" 

"I doubt it." 

Ginny began to do the same thing for herself. The pillow looked, if possible, worse than the case, but this was something she had to do. Once she placed the pillow case under the bed as close to the wall as she could, she backed away towards the bars. She couldn't see the case, which caused a small smile to spread across her face. 

"Now what?" Lisbeth asked. 

"Well, I think we want to leave under cover of night, so..." Ginny thought about the food they were given. It was always cold and looked as if it had been left out. Sometimes the food looked like it came from a breakfast, other time a dinner. "We'll leave after they give us our meal that has breakfast food." 

Ginny had warned Lisbeth not to let any excitement show. She herself had trouble concealing her happiness. Every time that fat man came, she'd have to look down, because if she looked up she was afraid she'd smile, knowingly into his eyes. Then he'd just ask questions and possibly be put off food again. 

Thankfully Lucius hadn't showed up again. She was afraid he'd come out of nowhere and discover her plot and hurt her...worse than she already was. But so far, so good. 

Ginny would spend most her time sharpening her weapon. When she had placed the pillow case under the bed she had noticed the goblet that had been left behind. Later she brought it out and stared at it, with deepest concentratoin. The goblet was made of wood, and when Ginny bashed it against the wall it broke into three large pieces, and many tinier splinters. Her heart sank as she saw the scattered bits of wood. She had spent the better part of an hour gathering the many splinters and hiding them under her bed. 

After that she studied the three large pieces. One was mostly the rim, the other was mostly the bottom, but the third was a large sliver that ran from the bottom to the rim. This was the piece she was currently working on. She was crouched against the wall, the large piece in both hands, and sawed back and forth against the stones. Slowly it was becoming sharp at one end. 

"What's that noise?" Lisbeth had asked. 

"It's our freedom." Ginny responded, and continued scraping and sawing until she was finally satisfied. 

~*~*~ 

Everything was ready. Ginny took inventory of their food supply. After three days (according to Ginny's reckoning) she had accumulated three rolls, a hand full of carrots and other vegetables, and a few half eaten pastries. Lisbeth did more or less teh same. They could probably last two days, three at most, on this food. They still didn't have water... 

Ginny's makeshift wooden knife was tucked into her pants, in the back. 

"Today's the day, Lisbeth," Ginny started. "He's going to be bringing the morning leftovers any time now, and whatever you hear, don't scream or panic, ok? If I don't make this work, then just sit tight...someone will come and save you." 

Lisbeth let out a soft sob, "Ok." 

The place was silent, excpet for Ginnny's echoing footsteps and the drip of water. She was nervous and had taken to pacing back and forth. _He should be here by now._ She kept saying, over and over. Finnaly she heard the door open. She quickly sat down on her cot, pretending to be completely desolated that she was here instead of at home. She looked down at her hands and noticed how dirty they were. _The first thing I'm going to do when I get out of here_ she said. _Is take a bath!_

"Ah, Virginia." 

Ginny's heart stopped. It was him! She looked up and saw the evil sneering face of Lucius Malfoy. 

"I think now is the day that I shall talk to you, yes." 

Ginny found it hard to pay attention to what he was saying, the shock that he was here was too great. Finally she focused on his voice, and tried concentrating. 

"So you see, the search has more or less been called off." He smiled. "But dear Daddy hasn't stopped...nor have your brothers. They've been searching up andd own the country-twice at my house-but have turned up nothing. Soon, though, I'll take them as well...they'll of course be reported as missing on ministry business...now links to me. And then, once I have them killed, you'll no longer be necessary to keep." 

Ginny wanted to say something, anything, back. But she was at a loss for words. 

"Nothing to say on your behalf? No pleas or bargaining? I did think you'd give up anything for your life...but, well, since is it your life, who could blame you for wanting it ended?" 

"You're evil." Ginny found the words. 

Lucuis curled his upper lip, "Certain means have to be sacrificed in order for a perfect world. I'm sure the Dark Lord won't mind my lack of morals once his order has been effected." 

"You think you're going to be at the top, don't you? In his little circle. From what I've heard, he treats his 'friends' no better than his enemies. You'll probably be the first to go, once he gains complete power. He's not the kind of person that seems trusting." 

"Shut up, you little girl. You don't know what you're talking about!" Lucius spat. 

"Don't I?" Ginny stood up and slowly began to walk towards him. "I know exactly what's been going on. You tried to make me dependant on you by depriving me of food, then so generously giving me some. You use me as bait to get to my Father, Lisbeth as bait to get to her Father. You're such a coward you hide behind little girls!" Ginny began to laugh, a sort of maniacal sound coming from deep within. "You're such a little cowardly rat!" 

"Shut up!" Lucius shouted, but Ginny couldn't stop the laughign. 

He got up close to the bars and flung his arms through the squares, trying to grab Ginny. He got a hold of her left shoulder and he began shaking her, yelling at the top of his lungs incomprehensible things. Ginny felt his overpowering strength, her head bobbing back and forth, greasy hair flying every where. His face was anger personified, fit to kill...kill her. She reached with her left hand for the knife, and brought it up. He didn't even notice the object in her hand, didn't notice it until she brought it full force into his arm. 

"What-" His grip loosened on her shoulder, and he brought his hand towards the wooden knife that was still sticking out of his arm. When he pulled it free, the blood began to stain his hands, and a dark splotch spread over his dark robes. He looked at the weapon in his hand, dripping with his blood, then fell to the floor in a faint. 

~*~*~ 

Draco had some idea what was going to happen. He knew that everything the Ministry did was playing into his Father's sick hands. The search was put on the back burner, but Arthur wouldn't give up. Ron was taken out of school to look after his Mother, while his Father and brothers went in serach for Ginny. 

He tried hard to concentrate on the ARthimancy in front of him, but the charts and numbers blurred. He couldn't focus or concentrate! That girl was with him wherever he went! First it was just when he was asleep, then only wh en he closed his eyes, but now... 

He thought he could hear her over and over again, _you were the one I loved._ And he had brought her right to his Father. If only she would have taken his advice and left him alone. If only she would have never bothered him in the first place with that silly past live story. But then he realized it started with him. 

It was him who started pestering her, pushing her down with physical force, as well as his cuttin gremarks. He still didn't know why he did that; to keep her away from him? No. To get back at her? What did she ever to do him? 

_Because you like her._ A voice said within him. You've liked her for a long time, mixed with hate.

"No, I just hate her...that's it!" 

_You like her and you were scared._

Draco narrowed his eyes and clinched his teeth. Even if he admitted he liked her, what good does it do him now? She's probably on the verge of death, if not dead already. 

_Only one way to find out, _the voice said. 

(A/N: I have no idea if the Prime Minister of England has a daughter, probably does, but my Prime Minister is fictional.) 


	12. Escape To Freedom

(A/N: Ok, I do believe I've fixed everything and I've found a new way to upload stuff, so the symbols will probably never happen ever, ever again! Thanks guys for being so patient and for all your reviews, you are so awesome and so smart, cuz some of you have picked up on my foreshadowing!)  
  
Chapter Twelve: Escape To Freedom  
  
The metallic smell of blood filled the air, making Ginny nauseous. She was looking at her blood stained hands, as if they weren't hers, as if she weren't even there, she was seeing this from a great distance. But they were hers.  
  
"Oh no, oh no." Ginny said over and over to herself.  
  
A very unpleasant feeling began to grow within her. She felt her stomach contract and convulse until she was forced to her knees and vomited the meager contents of her stomach. She sat there for what seemed forever before she registered someone was speaking.  
  
"Ginny? What happened? Are you okay?" It was Lisbeth, and her voice was laced with fear.  
  
Ginny wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, then almost gagged. The blood from her hand smeared onto her face, the stench entering her nose. Ginny fought the urge to vomit while dragging herself to the cot. She grabbed the blanket and began wiping at her mouth and hands. They were still a little red, but the blood was gone.  
  
"I'm okay, Lisbeth." Ginny finally called back. "I'm gonna get us out of here."  
  
Ginny looked over at Lucius' body laying on the floor just outside her cell. He wasn't moving, but Ginny knew he wasn't dead and it would only be a matter of minutes before he awoke. Trying to overcome the nausea, Ginny walked over to Lucius and crouched down. She reached her hands through the bars and began searching his pockets slowly. She found his wand in the first pocket she checked. Ginny breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
"Alohamora!" She shouted, pointing the wand at the lock.but nothing happened.  
  
Ginny tried a few more lock-breaking charms, but none of them worked! It must have been guarded against such paltry magic. Feeling panicked, Ginny crouched down again, now frantically searching his pockets. She could see his chest rise and fall in a regular pattern, but he was still unmoving. The last pocket was hard for Ginny to reach. She had to press her whole body up against the cold bars, which froze like ice. She reached her hand in and pulled out a set of keys. Ginny quickly stood back up and used the key in the lock and when she heard it click she thought she would cry.  
  
Carefully side stepping Lucius, Ginny ran towards Lisbeth's cell and stopped in front of it. The little girl was seated on her cot and she seemed to be crying into her hands. Ginny quickly unlocked the cell and rushed in.  
  
"Shh, it's okay!" Ginny said, comforting Lisbeth as best she could.  
  
The small girl had mousy brown hair, which would have looked beautiful if it had been well taken care of. Her face was a mess, smeared with dirt and tears, her eyes red from crying. Ginny could only imagine what she herself looked like.  
  
"You made it!" Lisbeth could barely whisper.  
  
"Of course I did, and we're going to get out of here." Ginny gave her a quick hug, then stood up. "Come on, grab that food, we're leaving this dump."  
  
Ginny walked back to her own cell and after stepping over Lucius twice, emerged from her cell with her own pillowcase full of food. Making sure she had both the wand, and the key, Ginny ushered Lisbeth to the door at the end. She tried the key first, which worked.  
  
"Ok, Lisbeth," Ginny started. "I don't know what's on the other side of this door, alright? I know a few curses and counter curses, in case there are guards. If I say run, I want you to run back to your cell, lock yourself in, and pretend like you were never out of it, alright?"  
  
Lisbeth nodded her head, then watched as Ginny undid the latch and pull the door away from the wall, to reveal something she would never have guessed to be there.  
  
~*~*~  
  
The sky was just beginning to grow dark, a few stars shining brightly in the sky. The world from up hear looked so different. The trees were so small and the houses even smaller. Draco would have appreciated the view if his rear wasn't sore from flying nearly half the day.  
  
He had decided earlier to go get Ginny. It wasn't a matter of whether he could rescuer her, or not, he was going to get her-period. There was something pulling him, and he didn't know what it was, only that if he tried to stay cooped up in that school any longer he would go insane. He couldn't tell anyone, they'd be bound to try and stop him and let the authorities see to it. But Draco knew those who had "authority" were always manipulated by his Father.  
  
Draco shook his head vigorously, trying to both get his Father out of his head, and stay awake. The cold night air had helped a bit, but he was fastly becoming tired. The sunset painted the sky in deep red/oranges, which strangely reminded him of Ginny.  
  
"Can't you get her out of your mind for just one second?" He yelled at himself.  
  
He knew he was near, though. His Father had prepared this small wood exactly for this occasion, and not many people knew about.not even the Death Eaters. Lucius had gone to great lengths to have the system of prisons made, and when it was completed, those who built it mysteriously disappeared, never to be seen again. Those who were manning the prisons were either under a strong spell, or Lucius threatened their lives and the lives of everyone they knew. He was a people person, indeed. Draco thought.  
  
As he neared the spot he knew he'd have to continue on foot. The whole area would be watched by wizards and beasts alike, and arriving by broom would be like knocking on their front door.  
  
Draco landed in a copse of trees near a small stream. He hid his broom amongst some bushes, then walked over to the stream. He swallowed two handfuls of water, then concentrated on what he was going to do. When he opened his eyes again he saw the reflection of a wolf staring back.  
  
~*~*~  
  
It went up and up forever, and just at the end they could make out the darkening sky. Ginny couldn't believe this is what was behind the door. A circular room with the diameter of no more than six feet that just went up, shadows dancing off the walls.  
  
"How do we get out of here?" Lisbeth asked.  
  
I wish I knew. Ginny thought, but couldn't bring herself to say.  
  
"Um, just give me time to think of a good charm.maybe a floating charm? No, we're too big for that." Ginny sat down and began to run through her entire school career.  
  
Hogwart's was supposed to prepare young witches and wizards for the future, but being stuck in a hole wasn't planned on. Nothing she could remember learning would help her. Maybe if she had her potions set she could make a sticky hands and feet potion and they could just crawl up the wall. But of course something that would help would be denied her.  
  
"Ginny!" Lisbeth began tugging on her arm.  
  
"Not now, I'm trying to think."  
  
If she had her broom near by she could just use the summoning charm, like Harry used in the Tri-Wizard Tournament.  
  
"But, Gin-"  
  
"Lisbeth, you're disturbing my train of thought."  
  
If only Harry were here, he'd save her, like he did her first year.  
  
Then something Ginny hadn't counted on happened, which made her blood run cold. She heard movement in the hallway. Ginny slowly peeked her head out the door and saw Lucius begin to get up, looking groggy and lost. She knew any moment he would look over at her empty cell and realize what had happened. Ginny grabbed for the door but it was stuck on its hinges.  
  
"Come-on-stupid-thing!" Ginny grunted as she pulled and tugged.  
  
Lucius looked as if he had finally realized what had happened, because he stood up quickly and started running towards the door. Ginny kicked the door with her foot, hoping that would do the trick, and it did. She began pulling it with all her strength, but just before it closed a hand stuck through. Ginny screamed as the door came crashing upon the hand and an ear splitting scream echoed around them. The hand retrieved and Ginny pulled the door again, slipped and crashed into the wall. She got up, ignored the pain in her side, and locked the door.  
  
"Ok, think, think think!" She tried to go back in time, try to remember every class she had ever had, but that incessant banging on the door, mixed with Lucius's muted curses and Lisbeth's nagging wasn't helping.  
  
"Ginny!" Lisbeth screamed, pinching Ginny hard on the arm.  
  
"Owe, what did you do that for?" Ginny rubbed the sore spot on her arm.  
  
"I was going to say that I've been down here before."  
  
"You what? Impossible!"  
  
"No, when I was younger we went to visit my Aunt Tabby's house and I liked to play out in her gardens a lot. They told me not to go near it, but I did anyway and I fell in. It took them the whole day to hear my screaming and then they finally found me and pulled me out."  
  
"What are you saying?"  
  
"I fell down her well!" Lisbeth began to laugh. "Ginny, we're in a well!"  
  
Ginny looked up and tried to imagine what the top looked like. She did see a patch of ever darkening sky, but a shadowed something was blocking the top. Perhaps.  
  
"Stand back!" Ginny commanded. "Accio rope!"  
  
Ginny stood back as well and waited with bated breath. After a few moments she heard something coming towards them, flying through the air. It had seemed a miracle, but there, right in front of her eyes, was a rope! She felt like jumping up and down and celebrating, but there'd be time enough for that later.  
  
"Grab hold!" Ginny said, watching Lisbeth grab the end of the rope and hold on tight. "Remmette rope!" Suddenly the rope began to lift Lisbeth off the ground and into the air. "When you reach the top try to climb out and throw the rope back down!"  
  
Ginny watched as Lisbeth lifted higher and higher and finally she could no longer see her. A second later the rope began to fall again. Ginny grabbed hold and repeated the spell, this time felt herself being lifted up, the cold wind meeting her face. She had the wand and keys in her pocket, and she grasped the pillowcase of food in her hand. She reached the top and for the first time in a long while breathed deep, enjoying the fresh air. She climbed out of the hole and onto the grass near Lisbeth, not believing her luck.  
  
"We did it, Ginny! We made it!" Lisbeth sang, happily.  
  
"Shh! Be quiet!" Ginny grabbed Lisbeth and dropped them both to the ground. "We don't know who's watching."  
  
Lisbeth's eyes shot wide open. She had thought they were finally free, but realizing that they were only half way out sobered her happy spirits.  
  
Ginny looked around the area they were in. It was hard to think that just below them lay a dungeon where she had been kept prisoner for probably a month. The woods around them looked so peaceful and innocent, even this lone ancient well gave the scene a picturesque quality. Looks can be deceiving. She said to herself.  
  
The sky above was now completely dark, sprinkled with stars and a few dark gray clouds. The pain in her side was steadily growing stronger, but she ignored it, like she had while playing Quidditch when a bludger hit her.  
  
"Well, I think we should head that way, under the cover of those trees. The wood is bound to end somewhere.let's just hope it ends at the edge of a village or town."  
  
Lisbeth nodded her head and followed Ginny from bush to bush as they made their way into the woods. Once Lisbeth caught up with Ginny she placed her small hand inside of Ginny's, looking up. Ginny looked down and smiled, squeezing Lisbeth's hand a bit. Ginny looked forward only to stop dead in her tracks. She slowly made her way protectively in front of Lisbeth and once she was sure she was shielding the girl, she drew the wand.  
  
Standing a few yards away was a white wolf. 


	13. White Wolf

(A/N: If you wanna see something funny, look at the album cover to Jason Mraz's CD. Funny stuff man!  
  
Thanks once again for all your reviews, I love it when people guess what's going to happen. I'm happy to know I keep you all in suspense, it means I'm doing my job, right? I'll try to get another chapter out soon!)  
  
Chapter Thirteen: White Wolf  
  
The dripping of water was slowly driving Lucius insane. He didn't have the keys, he didn't have his wand, and he had no way of disapparating because the charms he put on all the dungeons prevented that sort of escape. It was a sick twist of fate, he thought, being locked in a prison of his own making.  
  
He wondered how he would get out of here, and debated of which form of escape would come first; Dirk Bulstrode discovering that Lucius hadn't returned yet and him going in search, or there was the less pleasant; having to wait until Dirk brought down the food, which would take at least twelve more hours.  
  
"I'll kill everyone in that Muggle loving family," Lucius hissed to himself, "starting with that girl!"  
  
~*~*~  
  
The wolf just stared at them, unmoving as if it were frightened of them as much as they were of it. It cocked its head to the side, looking from Ginny to Lisbeth who was still hiding. The wolf slowly put one paw out towards them, but it made the wrong decision.  
  
Ginny pointed the wand directly at the wolf and was prepared to shout out every curse she knew, but stopped. The wolf had backed away and hid behind a small rock. It was as if the wolf knew what she was about to do, knew that witches with wands could do some serious damage.  
  
"What's wrong?" Lisbeth asked, too afraid to look.  
  
"Hang on a second." Ginny stepped away from Lisbeth and inched towards the rock with the wolf behind it.  
  
Crouching down on the ground was the wolf and when Ginny poked her head over the rock, the wolf looked up into her eyes. The wolf's silky coat glowed in the moonlight, making the creature exquisite to behold. Ginny stretched her hand out to touch the soft fur, and found that beneath the fur she could feel the strong muscles tighten, and the heartbeat quicken.  
  
"Hello," Ginny said softly, continuing to pet the animal.  
  
"Is it a good wolf?" Lisbeth asked, coming up behind Ginny.  
  
"Yes, I think it is." Ginny laughed.  
  
The wolf stood up suddenly and pricked its ears. Ginny also stood up while pushing Lisbeth towards the ground. With her wand stretched before her, she scanned the scenery. There was no one about, and as far as she could tell, they were the only beings there, human or animal. Ginny looked back at the wolf, who looked at her in return.  
  
"Are you here to help us?" Ginny asked.  
  
The wolf pawed at the ground, then looked back up.  
  
"Are you going to show us how to get to safety?"  
  
Again the wolf pawed at the ground.  
  
"Ok, then we'll follow."  
  
Ginny took Lisbeth's hand in her own and began to follow the wolf through the woods, around trees and over brambles. Their pace was very slow, and every once in a while the wolf would look back, making sure Ginny and Lisbeth were still following. The moon's glow was able to help by lighting their path, and all the while Ginny felt a calming reassurance.  
  
They had been walking for ages when finally the wolf stopped. Ginny looked around, but couldn't see any sign of dwelling. The wolf nudged Ginny's leg with its snout, then walked towards a large wall of rock. Ginny followed the wolf, questioningly, Lisbeth close behind. Ginny tried to make out where the wolf was going, but suddenly it vanished!  
  
"Hello?" Ginny called. "Where did you go?"  
  
Ginny looked from tree trunk, to protruding rock, to large bush, but there was no wolf. She was getting panicky, and hoped that the wolf would come back soon, or that another guide would take its place.  
  
The wolf reappeared, calming Ginny at once, and walked right up to here. It was pawing the ground, and walking a few feet away, stopped, then pawed the ground again. Ginny had no idea what the wolf was trying to communicate to her. It kept coming back up to her, nudging her leg, paw the ground, then walk away again.  
  
"I think it wants us to follow it." Lisbeth said.  
  
"What do you think we've been doing?"  
  
Lisbeth stepped closer to the wolf, and the wolf stared at Ginny. Ginny took a few more steps closer, and the wolf walked a yard away, then stopped, staring at both of them. Step by step the girls followed the wolf to the large rock wall, and they finally figured out what it was the wolf was trying to show them. Behind some thorny bushes, between the ground and the rock, was a large sliver of shadow.the entrance to a cave!  
  
The wolf crawled beneath the rock and into the cave, followed by Lisbeth. Ginny had no choice but to do the same. There wasn't much room to move, but she used her forearms to make her way over the damp earth, her head scratching against the rock above. They'd been crawling like that for ten minutes before Ginny felt a cool wind on her face. She looked up to see that she had entered a vast cavern that was dimly lit by blue light, rippling off the rock like water. Ginny's mouth hung open as she stared at the rock formations and the grandeur of it all.  
  
"It's beautiful." Ginny managed to say.  
  
Lisbeth was also staring up at the expanse of the room in wonder. They had forgotten that the wolf was still there, and it made its presence known by giving a quick low bark. Ginny looked down and saw the wolf walk towards the other end of the cavern. There was a small opening, larger than the cavern entrance, but Ginny still had to get down on her hands and knees to get to the other side. The next room wasn't as large, but still impressive. Ginny followed the sound of rushing water to a small stream that came in through an underground entrance, and left the same way. The wolf went to the water and began drinking.  
  
"I'm thirsty." Lisbeth declared, and walked towards the water. She took a few sips, then began petting the wolf.  
  
Ginny had suddenly realized that they hadn't gotten out of the woods, and they only had at most a three day supply of food. Now with the wolf, she'd be surprised if they'd make it in one day. Ginny dropped to the ground feeling frustrated all over again. She would have liked to just keep walking until they were out of the woods, but she doubted her legs would carry her any further. After a month of hardly any walking, her legs had cramped up horribly.  
  
Taking a glance towards the water she saw that Lisbeth had already curled up in a small ball and was soundly asleep. Ginny crawled towards the water, took a few sips, then laid down herself.  
  
While the two girls slept, the wolf kept watch.  
  
~*~*~  
  
"You imbecile!" Lucius shouted at Dirk the moment he unlocked the large door. "How long did it take you to realize I hadn't come back?"  
  
Dirk stared at his hands, obviously trying to count on his fingers, but with little success. "Five?"  
  
"Five hours!" Lucius roared. "Did you actually think that I would have willingly spent five hours down here? Hmm?"  
  
"Uhh."  
  
"And when did your tiny little brain figure out that something must have been wrong?"  
  
"I'm sorry, sir."  
  
"Give me your wand." Lucius grabbed the wand before Dirk could complain. "Crucius!"  
  
Lucius loved the look of pain emit from that big ugly oaf. He'd been wanting to do that for a long time, but hadn't come up with sufficient reason to.until now.  
  
"Hurry up, get into the well! We need to apparate at the fort." Lucius followed Dirk into the completely dark well. "Once we get there organize a search party. We need to find those two girls." Lucius straightened his clothes and smoothed back his hair. "Bring Weasley directly to me."  
  
~*~*~  
  
It was a good dream, about Quidditch. Ginny was soaring in the air, chasing the Quaffle from one player to the next. The crowd was cheering for her, the game depended on her to make this goal! Ginny raced over the field, but something not right was happening. Slowly, one by one, all the players on the field were disappearing. The crowd was going as well. Soon Ginny found herself all alone, looking around at the now empty Pitch. Before she could react, two Bludgers came pelting her way, hitting her at exactly the same time, knocking her off her broom. She was falling, falling, falling.  
  
"Help.help." Ginny murmured, but she was caught in someone's embrace.  
  
"Shh, Ginny, it's okay." The soothing voice spread through Ginny's body, causing her to relax her tense muscles.  
  
She was being held tight in someone's arms, very warm and very safe. She began to cry into the someone's chest, feeling hopeless and useless.  
  
"What's wrong?" The voice asked.  
  
"I can't get out of here." She sobbed. "I don't know what to do."  
  
"You got out of the dungeon.that's something."  
  
Ginny slowly stopped her sobs. "But.that was different. The woods are so big and out in the open. Someone will find us."  
  
"I'll be here for you," The voice reassured. "I'll never let you fall."  
  
Ginny, in all her exhaustion from traveling and sobbing, found strength enough to look up into the eyes of him who held her. They were soft and comforting, reflecting the blue light around them. She looked from the eyes to the silvery hair, but didn't have enough time to recognize who it was, before she fell asleep.  
  
~*~*~  
  
It was the sweet singing that woke Ginny the next morning. Lisbeth had awaken earlier and washed her face and hands in the water and felt so happy to be out of the dungeon that she couldn't help but sing old nursery rhymes. Ginny sat up, very confused.  
  
"You're up!" Lisbeth exclaimed. "I was waiting for you before we ate."  
  
Ginny rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, and yawned. She couldn't remember much of the night before, only that she had felt very scared, very alone, and then the exact opposite.as if someone had held her the entire night. Ginny looked over at the sleeping form of the wolf.  
  
"We have two pastries! That should be enough!" Lisbeth handed Ginny a pastry, and began eating her own.  
  
"At Hogwarts I could have eaten two dozen of these." Ginny said, gazing at the small pastry.  
  
The wolf awoke and walked towards the two girls. Reluctantly, Ginny offered the wolf part of her pastry, but it refused. Ginny couldn't help keep the happiness from her face, so she looked down, and there, beside her, was a small piece of parchment. Ginny took parchment and noticed it had writing on it;  
  
"There are only two ways out of the wood. The wolf will guide you to the easiest."  
  
"I wonder what that means." Ginny thought as she read over the parchment again.  
  
She looked at the wolf who stared up at her, as if trying to read her thoughts. It unnerved Ginny a little, but she had to trust the wolf.who else could she trust?  
  
In the day light the cavern was lit properly, but the girls didn't have time enough to examine the beauty. They were escorted out of the cavern in less time than it took them to get in. Outside the sunlight was blinding. Ginny found it very hard to adjust to the light, and when she did she frowned. In the month she had been kept prisoner she had not only grown very skinny and scrawny, but her skin was also a lot paler, and she noticed she didn't have half as many freckles.  
  
Ginny felt very vulnerable, walking out in the open, knowing full well people were probably looking for her not too far away. She wanted to go back to the cave and wait until night fall, but didn't know how the wolf would take that.  
  
The wolf was walking at a faster pace now, Ginny and Lisbeth finding it harder to keep up. She was beginning to get scratches on her arms and legs, and even a few branches had cut across her face. Lisbeth didn't fare any better. Once Ginny looked up at the sky and noticed a dark cloud was heading their way. She hoped they would be out of the woods before it began to rain, but was prone to thinking fate would deal her a bad hand once again.  
  
The walking continued, and it seemed they were going in circles. Ginny wanted to sit down and rest, to take the weight off of her muscles, but she kept telling herself "just a few more feet.just a few more yards and we'll be out." But she no longer believed it. She was so busy wondering if they'd ever get out to notice the sound of running water and that the wolf had stopped. Ginny nearly fell into the wolf, and Lisbeth nearly fell into Ginny.  
  
"What is it?" Ginny whispered, but she only needed to look up to see the problem.  
  
Standing ten yards away were two men covered in black cloaks: wizards. Ginny's first impulse was to scream and shout that they'd finally been rescued, but the wolf bit down on Ginny's shirt, warning her to stay down. She stared at the two men, finally able to hear what they were saying.  
  
"Where did this come from?" One of them asked.  
  
"From over there, in those bushes."  
  
The man held a broom stick up in the air.  
  
"Lucius will want to see this."  
  
"Do you think they escaped?"  
  
"Of course not!" The one with the broom shouted. "How could they escape if the broom is left behind? You know what this means?"  
  
"No, what?"  
  
"Someone else is in this wood.someone who isn't supposed to be."  
  
"Remember what Lucius said."  
  
"Of course I do!" He paused. "Lock the Prime Ministers daughter back up, and bring the Weasley directly to him."  
  
"I wouldn't be surprised if she lasted ten minutes with him."  
  
"Though this presents a bit of a problem." The broomstick and the two men left the scene.  
  
"Ginny," Lisbeth whispered. "Ginny.who's Weasley? I never saw anyone named Weasley."  
  
When Lisbeth looked at Ginny's face she was surprised to see complete fear stare back at her. "I never told you-Weasley's my last name." 


	14. Strength Beyond Her Own

(A/N: OK, I know you guys have been haranguing me about my multiple spelling errors, but I'm not claiming to be a walking dictionary. Microsoft Word underlines words that are misspelled, and I don't see any that are underlined besides proper names and spells. I go through and read it over but I never find anything wrong. I'm sorry if my spelling isn't up to scratch with your standards, you don't have to read it if it bugs you that much. And just a reminder, this is fanfiction, stuff that's NEVER going to be published, so it doesn't matter either way. I'm sorry if this seems harsh, but I already know my spelling is crap, and I don't need everyone and their dog to remind me! But I love constructive criticism, just know that the spelling will always be crap.  
  
On a lighter note, thanks for all your wonderful reviews, and about Draco being the wolf.hmm.wouldn't you like to know for sure? .  
  
::puts on princess hat Adela got from Disneyland:: "I'm a princess, I can do whatever I want.hmpf!")  
  
Chapter Fourteen: Strength Beyond Her Own  
  
A loud crack of thunder and the heavens opened up and poured down on the earth. Torrents of rain soaked everything in site, including the two young girls and the white wolf. The day had turned into night, dark bellowing clouds blocking out any trace of sun.  
  
After the two men had left, and the rain began, the wolf immediately led them back to the cavern, but by that time they were drenched anyway, and any shelter would have been appreciated. Once they were safely in the second cavern, Ginny began wringing her hair out and taking off her outer garments, leaving herself in a white undershirt, and her school skirt.  
  
"What are you doing?" Lisbeth asked.  
  
"I'm going to let these dry." Ginny placed the clothes on a nearby rock.  
  
A small portion of food was passed out, and even the wolf took a few bites. They sat in silence, listening to the rain and thunder echo throughout the cave. The small stream had turned into a raging highway of water.  
  
"Are we going to get out of here?" Lisbeth asked quietly.  
  
Ginny looked up at the trembling girl, feeling the deepest pity. "Of course we will."  
  
"What if they catch you?" Lisbeth asked.  
  
"I suppose they'll take us back to the dungeon."  
  
Lisbeth looked as if she were trying to phrase her next sentence just right, "But-Ginny.they said to take Weasley-you-directly to that bad man."  
  
"I'm sure I'll be alright," But Ginny didn't think she'd survive a confrontation with Lucius Malfoy.  
  
Ginny suddenly thought back to the moment when this all began. Why did she have to follow Draco out of the castle and to the edge of the forest? Why did she have to be so gullible? He'd been working for his Father, this whole time, just playing with her. But did it begin with that moment? Seeing her past lives led her to that moment.but what had led her to the mirror?  
  
Before Ginny could think any further, she was interrupted.  
  
"Ginny, I don't like it here any more."  
  
"I don't either." She said rather irritated.  
  
The white wolf suddenly stood up and began to bark and growl. Ginny looked around and noticed that the stream was now growing very rapidly and faster than ever. Lisbeth began to scream and cry, but nothing could be heard over the next clap of thunder. Ginny felt her body shake and almost as if the very sound and entered into her soul, shaking down all the strength and courage she had stored up.  
  
Turning around, Ginny noticed that the small opening in the wall that led to the first cavern was being flooded, which no longer became an escape. The wolf began to bite on Ginny's skirt, forcing her to follow it to the rock wall. The wolf slowly began to climb the wall, scrambling up the shallow slope until it was on a landing near the top. Ginny yelled for Lisbeth to climb the rock wall. With a little help from Ginny, Lisbeth made it to the landing.  
  
The water was rising faster and faster, finally hitting Ginny's feet, soaking her socks threw. She grabbed hold of a protruding rock and pulled herself up. Lisbeth stuck her hand out for Ginny to grab, and eventually made it. Once Ginny was safely on the ledge the wolf began to climb again, and this time Ginny could see a small opening not too far away from where they were. The wolf made it to the hole and barked twice. Lisbeth then began to climb and once she was outside of the cave Ginny began.  
  
Pain screamed throughout Ginny's body, caused by the cuts and scrapes from the rocks. She slipped twice because of the water on the rocks, and tears formed in her eyes as she pictured herself falling. She couldn't go any further, the opening was a few feet away, but if she moved she'd fall.  
  
"Come on Ginny!" Lisbeth yelled through the barks of the wolf.  
  
"I can't! It's too slippery!" Ginny yelled up.  
  
"Ginny, you can make it.just try!" Lisbeth shouted back.  
  
Ginny took a deep breath and began looking for a crevice in the rock wall. There was one just above her head, and she let go of her left hand to grab hold of it. As soon as she did her feet slipped out from under her, and she fell against the wall, her head hitting a jagged rock. Ginny felt very dizzy and disoriented. She couldn't remember what exactly she was trying to do, and why it was so wet. A small voice in her head told her to not let go, to keep holding on. But it hurts.if I let go it will stop. She said.  
  
No, The small voice urged, hold on! Don't let go!  
  
Ginny held on with every ounce of strength she had and then instantly she felt her wrist being grabbed by someone else. She was being pulled up towards the opening. She could feel the rain hit her head, and a strong wind tear at her clothes and hair. She was laid down on her side, but she was coughing and the pain in her head was unbearable. A crack of thunder echoed in the sky, and Ginny felt herself drifting off.  
  
~*~*~  
  
The storm clouds had blown away leaving an eerie silence in the dark afternoon sky. A chill had settled over the wood, but there was no wind to run through the tree boughs or reassure the small girl that life was going on.  
  
Lisbeth had been instructed what to do, but she was afraid it wasn't good enough. Ginny was still asleep and it looked as if she were dead. Lisbeth curled up in a ball next to Ginny, silently shedding tears of sorrow.  
  
The first thing Ginny saw was Lisbeth. What was she doing? Crying? What happened? Ginny lifted her hand to her head to brush away a few stray locks but felt something on her head. She put pressure on it, but cried out in pain as her dormant headache erupted over again.  
  
"Ginny?" Lisbeth sat up, inching closer to her.  
  
"Owe.I have a headache." Ginny groggily said sitting up as well.  
  
"I thought you were dead!" Lisbeth cried, "I thought you were dead and that I was going to die too."  
  
"Just calm down and tell me what happened. I remember climbing the wall, but that's it."  
  
Lisbeth explained the whole episode of climbing the wall and how Ginny slipped and nearly fell. "But then an angel came, Ginny, and he saved you!"  
  
"An angel?" Ginny questioned, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Yeah, a real angel! He was so handsome and he appeared out of nowhere and he started climbing down after you and he brought you back up and laid you down. He told me how to bandage your cut on your head, and then said that he would have to go. Before he left he told me that we should follow the stream east until we come to a building and that we should wait until after the sun has set and then go inside and there'd be a fireplace and that you would know what to do." Lisbeth took a deep breath. "What are we supposed to do?"  
  
"Hmm," Ginny thought. "This 'angel' sure knows a lot."  
  
"Oh, Ginny, he was so nice and he whispered to you when he thought I wasn't looking, but I was." Lisbeth smiled, causing Ginny to blush.  
  
"Well, I think we should first find a way off this cliff." Ginny began looking around. "Where's the wolf?"  
  
"I left too."  
  
Ginny salvaged what she could. She had lost her school shirt and cloak and Lucius' wand and one of the pillowcase of food. She still had the other pillowcase and dungeon keys. On the other side of the cliff was a much easier way down, taking no more the five minutes. They retraced their steps back to the stream and took the advice and followed it east. Ginny noticed that the sense of calm of reassurance she had felt earlier that day was gone. The wolf had given her that, and now that it was gone Ginny realized how much of a help it had been.  
  
The journey was silent except for the sound of their feet on the leaf swept moist earth. A few branches had broken off trees, presenting barriers that the girls had to either climb over or crawl under. It unnerved Ginny again that there seemed to be no other wild life; not bird, nor even an ant! What force was in these woods to drive off all wildlife?  
  
Just as the sun was setting the promised building appeared in a clearing. It looked more like a fortress, rather than just a building. It was made of a dark gray stone that blended with the iron gray sky. There was a light flickering out from one of the windows, but no one else was in site. Ginny was hesitant to go near the building for fear someone would see her and take her to Malfoy. That was one meeting Ginny would go to any length to avoid.  
  
"The sun is setting." Lisbeth stated.  
  
Looking up into the sky Ginny noticed that indeed, the sun was setting, and in a few more moments the sun was completely gone. A million doubts were running through her head about entering the building, but Lisbeth was already half way there. Ginny quietly ran to catch up.  
  
"Look!" Lisbeth inhaled the word as she pointed at a dark figure just feet away from the door.  
  
On closer inspection, Ginny saw that the dark figure was the body of a man. She drew closer to it and noticed that he was still breathing. It looked like someone knocked him out!  
  
The girls entered the building and found two more knocked out bodies laying on the floor. There was a small wooden table with a few chairs around it. A small meal was placed on the table and in the center was a candelabra with four burning candles. The instant Ginny saw the food on the table she ran towards it and crammed as much as she could of it into her mouth. It was still warm! She hadn't eaten warm food in a very long time. Lisbeth was doing the same, never noticing the flicker of two small pinpricks of light shining from a dark doorway.  
  
Once Ginny's appetite was satisfied she looked around the rest of the room. A longer table was set against the furthest wall and next to that was a fireplace with a clay jar on top of the mantle.  
  
"Come on!" Ginny took Lisbeth's hand and ushered her to the fireplace. "Ok, you need to listen very carefully. Take the stuff from this jar, throw it into the fire and say 'The Burrow!' You got that?"  
  
Lisbeth looked more confused than she ever had. "Put that stuff in there and shout 'The Barrel?'"  
  
"No, the 'Burrow!" Ginny said it slower this time until Lisbeth could repeat it flawlessly.  
  
"What's going to happen?"  
  
"You're going to be taken to my home and I'll tell my Dad what happened. You'll be safe!"  
  
Lisbeth's eyes lit up at the last word, and was ready to do anything, no matter how crazy, as long as she'd finally be safe. Ginny took her to the fireplace, but turned her head towards the table, something catching her eye. Next to a silver goblet that reflected the light from the candle, was a container holding a dozen wands. Ginny's heartbeat quickened as she realized her wand was probably in there somewhere.  
  
"Here, you go first and I'll be there in a few seconds."  
  
Lisbeth nodded her head and took some of the Floo Powder, threw it into the fire and shouted "The Burrow!" Instantly she disappeared in flame and smoke. Ginny walked towards the table and emptied the container with the wands. She was going through each one, trying to find her own, when she heard the door slam shut. She quickly turned around, a few wands flying off the table and onto the floor, and looked into the menacing eyes of Lucius Malfoy.  
  
"Where is he?" Lucius snarled.  
  
Ginny was too scared to take in what he was saying or that he asked her a question. She couldn't take her eyes off him, he was livid with rage, his nostrils flared, his chest heaving. Ginny felt sick to her stomach as the bile entered her mouth.  
  
"I said, where is he?" He swept closer to her in a swish of black cloak. "Where's my son?"  
  
Ginny blinked her eyes, "D-D-Draco?"  
  
"Yes, Draco, my son."  
  
Ginny had a hard time processing this information. How was she supposed to know where Draco was? He was probably at Hogwarts seeking out new students for his Father to take away and keep in dungeons.  
  
"Answer me!" Lucius slapped Ginny hard across the face, causing her to swing around and fall onto the table, knocking the wind out of her. But that wasn't all.  
  
It wasn't enough that he slapped her, he then grabbed her by the shoulders and forced her to face him, wanting her to see reflected in his eyes all the pain he would put her through before the night was out. He flung her at the table, this time nearly all it's contents fell to the floor along with her beaten body.  
  
She first heard the growl and then out of the corner of her eye saw something jump out of the shadows and land on top of Lucius. He fell to the floor as well, trying to fight off the beast that had begun attacking him. He managed to throw it across the room, and Ginny heard it yelp in pain. But it attacked again and again. Lucius and the beast rounded the room, knocking over chairs and breaking the small table. Ginny began scrambling along the floor, trying to find her wand. She'd be able to stun Lucius if only she could find the blasted thing! Her hand swept over a large piece of paper that caught her eye. Looking at it she noticed it was a map.of the wood! Up and down the map were strange markings, like long rectangular shapes marked in red. She wondered if they were walls, or buildings, or.Ginny gasped! They were dungeons! The whole wood was covered in underground dungeons, just like the one she had been in. How many more people did Lucius have locked up in them?  
  
"Now you'll die." Ginny heard Lucius say.  
  
She turned around and saw Lucius had the beast pinned on the floor, a knife at its throat. She now recognized it to be the wolf that had helped her. Ginny found her wand, which had rolled to her feet, and stood up.  
  
"Lucius!" She shouted, taking his attention away from the wolf. "Say goodnight!" She pointed her wand at him and shouted the most powerful stunning charm she could remember, and Lucius crumpled in a heap on the floor.  
  
Cautiously she crossed the room to see if she could help the wolf in any way, but the wolf was nowhere in sight. Something else lay on the ground, broken and bleeding, hanging on to the last threads of life.  
  
(A/N: Yay, I just checked on Barnesandnoble.com and my harry potter book was sent today! YAY, I'm gonna read harry potter, ooh yeah ::does happy dance with princess hat on:( 


	15. Pain of the Centuries

(A/N: Alright, I'm sorry about fuming in the last chapter. But I had had a really bad day, and my patience had run out somewhere between noon and four. I'm not going to kindly ask those reviewing to please refrain from pointing out the fact that I have crappy spelling skills.  
  
Well, here y'all go! Another chappy!)  
  
Chapter Fifteen: The Pain of Centuries  
  
The room was silent as Ginny stared down at the crumpled body of the one person she had not expected to be here. She fell to her knees by his side, feeling the warm trail of tears on her cheeks. Slowly she held her hand out to the silver hair that covered his face and brushed it back revealing a large bruise over his eye and his lip cut and bleeding. His breathing was very shallow and his skin was cold to the touch.  
  
"Draco?" Ginny whispered. "Oh, please don't die-please."  
  
There seemed to be not much Ginny could do. She didn't know any healing spells and all she could do was try to revive him by shaking him by the shoulders. He lay there, unmoving, showing no signs of awakening.  
  
"Draco.I knew I loved you.I knew it all along. Please don't go-don't leave me.I know now.I know."  
  
Ginny lowered herself so she could embrace Draco, her cheek was touching his as she whispered, "I love you." She then turned slightly so she could place a light kiss on his lips.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Everything was happening so fast. It was like Draco was sitting, watching different scenes pass by, sometimes going so fast he could barely make out who was in them, then they'd suddenly slow down so that he had a clear picture of the people. He hadn't a clue why or how this was happening, but as he saw each scene he felt apart of himself awake, a part of him he never knew existed. The funny thing was that they seemed to be going backwards.  
  
Pain of betrayal.  
  
He felt such hatred, mixed with the deepest love as he saw the elegant brunette. He had felt she loved him too, but it was all a plot.all a plot. He wooed her and showed his affection openly, but she warned she had no heart. He saw her across the salon, drinking tea with a man his Father warned him about. How could such a beautiful woman dine with such a horrible man? Then, the first time he had ever saw her was when she was on stage. He could not keep his eyes off of her and inquired after her, but she would be leaving for America soon.well, so would he then.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Ginny rushed to the fireplace and searched the mantle piece for the container of Floo Powder, but it wasn't there. She looked down at the ground, moving a broken chair out of the way to reveal the shattered pieces of the container, along with a spattering of green powder, most of it having sunk through the cracks in the wood paneled floor.  
  
"No." Ginny got on her hands and knees trying to scoop up the remaining powder, but it wasn't nearly enough to get herself through the fire, let alone her and Draco.  
  
After wiping her hands on her clothes, she frantically began searching the room for any other means of escaping this place. She didn't know what she would be looking for, maybe a piece of paper explaining in detail how to escape, but that was hopeful wishing. The room was a mess, parchments scattered the floor, a few broken wands, the shattered remains of the meal on the now broken table. And then Draco, still lying as still as death.  
  
"Someone help me!"  
  
~*~*~  
  
Pain of loss.  
  
It tore at his very heart, the woman he loved hung in front of him. The locket was returned to him, but his love was gone. He begged his Father to release her, but he declared she was a witch. He knew he loved her, even before they would meet secretly in the woods. He saved her from the death of the water, which only enhanced his love. Why wouldn't she ever notice him? No matter what he did--tease her, flirt with her cousin-- nothing would do. She looked so sad being escorted to her home with her Aunt and Uncle. He knew her Mother and Father had died and she'd be living with them.she was so sad and beautiful.  
  
~*~*~  
  
One thing that Ginny was proud of remembering was the hovering charm, which was now put into action. Draco was gliding about waist in front of Ginny as she left the fort, the moon light casting blue shadows over his body. Ginny looked back once at the flickering lights of the window and hoped nobody would wake up until she was quite far away. She looked down at the paper in her hand with help from her wand light and frowned.  
  
The map showed that the wood was very huge and in the center of it was the building she had just left. She had no idea which way to go, which way would lead her to civilization, or which way would lead her to something horrible. She actually didn't care at the moment, as long as she put more distance between herself and Lucius Malfoy. She shuddered, remembering the horrible look in his eyes as he shook her. She actually thought for a second that he would kill her and that she would never see her family again, test out Fred and George's new experiments, laugh with Ron, share her secrets with Lisa. But that was when the wolf-Draco-saved her.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Pain of pride.  
  
He searched for her everywhere, but he could not find her. His Father had disowned him when he ran out, refusing to marry the Princess, vowing to find the woman who had run away. She had said yes when he asked her to marry him, sharing his love with her own. The many times they spent in the woods, his love growing each day. He saw her beauty that first day, down by the river, and knew it was his trainers daughter, the woman that was hidden from the world. He saw the carriage roll into the courtyard and in the glow of the torches, saw a veiled woman, whom he felt a strange attraction to.  
  
~*~*~  
  
The cold wind caressed Ginny's cheeks, sending shivers down her spine. She had checked the map over and over again, but she must have taken a wrong turn somewhere, or had it turned around from the beginning! It seemed hopeless, traveling when all she could see at a time was what her small circle of wand light allowed. Draco was now hovering beside her, rather than in front. She had nearly run him into a tree not too long ago.  
It didn't seem possible, the sky had grown darker. Ginny looked up and saw a huge black cloud cover the moon and most of the stars. The night seemed complete now, an enemy trying to befuddle her and trip her up. She gripped her wand tighter, looked down at Draco, who was now moaning in his sleep, but still far from consciousness.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Pain of forever.  
  
This next scene was different. First it was the desert, cruel in all its entirety, along the life giving waters of the wealthiest Kingdom on earth. He felt an emotion deep within him stir as he watched the woman come into view. He longed for her, but knew he could never show his love. He watched her suffer through three mis-carriages and yearned to take her away from her pain. When she first touched him he felt truly alive! But he could never commit treason, so he feigned indifference. It did more harm than good, for his emotions were boiling over and erupted that night.their first night. Sitting in his room, planning the next meeting with his love, evil descended.  
  
"You will never have her," The hiss. "As long as time goes on you will forever be separated, spending eternity longing.but never having."  
  
That was the true pain. The poison was minor compared to the knowledge that a curse was set upon himself and the one he loved. He tried warning her as she entered his room with the evil, but his voice was gone. The last strength he had was killing the man who forced himself on her. And he died in her arms, separated from the life they should have spent together.  
  
~*~*~  
  
"No!" Draco yelled, startling Ginny so bad she screamed.  
  
Ginny's concentration was shattered, and her spell broke. Draco came crashing down to the ground and lay on a thick layer of dead leaves. Ginny's heart was racing in her chest, deafening her to the sounds around her. Once she had got control of herself she knelt beside Draco and noticed his eyes were now open, though they seemed to be staring at empty space.  
  
"Draco?" Ginny brought her hands to his cheek, checking his temperature.  
  
He seemed to be gulping down air and trying to speak at the same time. "The curse.he did it."  
  
Draco groped around in the dark with his hands and when they came into contact with Ginny's shoulder he gently brought her towards him. He was shaking and his hands were clammy.  
  
"Don't leave me-ever! I'll die if you go again."  
  
Needless to say, Ginny was very confused. What was he talking about, the curse? As far as she knew she was curse free, all her faculties were in check and nothing foreign was sprouting on any part of her body. Draco seemed perfectly fine as well, besides the fact he was rambling.  
  
"Draco, it's ok.we're safe for now." Ginny began caressing his cheek, and his eyes finally came into focus long enough to stare into her eyes.  
  
He saw them again, all the lives, pass through her eyes. He wondered why he had never seen them before, it was so obvious. And then the events of this life came crashing down on him. All the hurt he had put her through, dogging her steps only to push her down, or humiliate her. He felt sick with himself and wanted to hide from all his faults, but they were staring him right in the face.  
  
"Draco?" Ginny was getting worried, he was no longer focused on her. "Stay with me, Draco! Stay awake!" She began tapping her hands on his cheek in hopes to awake him.  
  
Draco blinked, scrunching his face, then opened his eyes again, "Where are we?" He said, looking now at the trees surrounding them.  
  
Ginny laughed, "I don't know, really. I was hoping you would tell me that."  
  
The ground was very soft and soggy and Draco's hand sank through the many layers of dead leaves as he propped himself up. He was fine, other than a slight headache directly behind his eyes. He looked around again at the woods and then everything came rushing back to him.  
  
He had left Hogwarts to come here, to get Ginny. He knew he had to get to the fort to see which dungeon his Father had put her in, but before he even reached the place he saw Ginny and that little girl coming towards them. He knew he frightened them, being in his wolf form, but he felt it would be safer to remain in his animagus state. This way Ginny would trust him and if he was seen no one would know who he was.  
  
He hadn't, however, planned on two guards finding his broom, the only safe escape out of the woods. He knew that the only other way out would be to go to the fort and either find the broom, or risk using the Floo network. When he saw Ginny fall on their way out of the cave he immediately changed back into himself and rescued her, but the little girl had seen. He quickly explained the way out, then left, but always watching them, hiding behind trees, bushes, sneaking into the house long before they arrived and stunning the guards, then hiding in the shadows. Everything was working, the little girl went first through the fire, but Ginny had been distracted and walked towards the long table. He panicked when he saw his Father enter and start attacking her.  
  
"I'm not sure.I've only been here twice before." Draco rubbed his hand against his head, hoping to massage the headache away. "But it's enchanted, there's no way out except the Floo network, and now that'll be heavily guarded."  
  
"Come on, there's got to be some way.some emergency escape?" Ginny brought the map so that Draco could see. "Anywhere on here? Does any of this look familiar?"  
  
Draco snatched the map from her and stared at it, disbelieving. "Where'd you get this?"  
  
"I, uh, stole it from back there." Ginny's face blushed slightly.  
  
"Ginny, my Dad only made one of these maps. It shows all the dungeons and if-" Draco stopped talking and grabbed her wand as well. Ginny was about to protest, but stopped when she saw what he did next.  
  
He touched one of the dungeons with the tip of the wand and said, "Reveal!" Small, spindly handwriting began appearing in that rectangle. Ginny stared at the names in shock disbelief.  
  
"I know that girl!" She said. "And him too! They're here? In this wood?"  
  
Draco nodded his head, and a few moments longer the handwriting faded off the page.  
  
"Where is this?" She asked, pointing towards the now empty rectangle.  
  
Draco touched the wand again to the rectangle and said, "Direct!" The same small, spindly handwriting drew a small dot off to the side of the rectangle, then etched a line from the dot, to the rectangle, noting the different landmarks on the way.  
  
"We have to get them!" Ginny breathed. "We have to get them out of there!"  
  
"We?" Draco questioned. "No, I came to get you, not the whole lot of them."  
  
"But Draco! That's not humane!"  
  
"No, it's called being safe, now let me think.there was something about the water being a weak point."  
  
"Draco!" Ginny disturbed his thoughts. "I'm not leaving until we get them out of there." She crossed her arms over her chest.  
  
"Oh, yes you are, if I have to carry you out."  
  
"I'd like to see you try."  
  
"Listen!" Draco shouted, causing to Ginny to jump. "Soon my Father's going to wake up, if he hasn't already, and one he realizes what's happened he'll call every man in the woods to hunt you down. He already thinks I'm here somewhere, though I'm sure he doesn't know why. If he finds you, Ginny, you're dead.in the literal sense of the word."  
  
Ginny gulped, cast her eyes to the ground, then looked back up. "I said I'm not leaving."  
  
Draco narrowed his eyes and clenched his teeth. "Fine, it's your life."  
  
Draco repeated the spell on the paper, and the line appeared once more. He memorized the way, taking mental notes, and watched as the line disappeared. He then began walking in the direction the map had pointed out, Ginny following closely behind. It was eerily silent, except for the sound of their footprints.  
  
"I hope Lisbeth is alright." Ginny said aloud to break the silence.  
  
Draco made an inaudible reply.  
  
"Maybe she already told my Father and they're now on their way."  
  
"Right."  
  
"It could happen.they could be on their way."  
  
"Oh, I'm sure he is, but that would be his first mistake."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
Draco stopped, then turned to face Ginny, "Don't you get it yet?" He paused. "Think, why would my Father kidnap you?"  
  
Ginny had often thought about that question, but had never been able to answer it. Her Father wasn't real prominent in the Ministry and it wasn't a big secret that they were poor.  
  
"My Father's using you as bait. And once your Father gets here, mine will kill him. You don't know how many times your Dad's been close to pinning something on my Dad. Once Arthur Weasley, the Muggle lover, is out of the way, my Father's path would be much clearer."  
  
Ginny thought of this as they made their way deeper into the woods. It was true, Arthur had come home on numerous occasions always saying how he had gotten good leads on how to incriminate Lucius, but he always seemed to be out of reach. It would only be a matter of time before Lucius decided ending Arthur's life would be much safer than going about his business with someone always poking into his business.  
  
Ginny had been deep in thought when she noticed that Draco had stopped.  
  
"This is it." He said.  
  
Looking down, Ginny could see a very large hole in the trunk of a very large tree. The interior of the tree was very hard to see, considering the night time conditions.  
  
"Ladies first." Draco placed his hand on her back and nudged her towards the hole.  
  
There was barely room for her to crouch down and then Draco entered, making it a very tight fit. Ginny was thinking that they had been lead to the wrong spot before she felt a jerking movement in the ground, and then the sensation of going down. It took the good part of five minutes before they stopped with another jerk. She heard the squeak of hinges, and then saw that a door was being opened to a well lit hallway, which mirrored the dungeon she had been in.  
  
Ginny ran past Draco and into the hallway, her footsteps echoing off the walls. "Is there anyone here?" She called.  
  
A sudden movement was heard just ahead, and Ginny ran along until she saw one of the occupied cells. A boy was getting off of his cot and stared at her disbelieving her. If Ginny hadn't already known who would be down here, she would have never recognized him.  
  
"Cort?" She stared at his tattered clothes, and his frail body.  
  
The last time Ginny had seen him was in the Gryffindor Common room, just before Christmas break. He was a year younger than her, but she had helped him with an Herbology essay once.  
  
"G-Ginny?" He rushed towards the bars and grabbed hold. "Is it really you?" He rubbed his eyes, then looked back up at her.  
  
Ginny suddenly felt her own dirtied, ratty clothes and matted down hair. She could tell from the look in his eyes, that he had deduced that she had also been a prisoner at one point.  
  
"Who's there, Cort?" A female voice asked from further down the hall.  
  
"It's Samantha, from Ravenclaw." Cort informed her, though she already knew. "We've been down here for-we don't even know how long!"  
  
"We're gonna get you out!" Ginny said, digging in her pockets, producing the ring of keys.  
  
"Where'd you get those?" Cort asked as his cell was opened.  
  
"I, um, borrowed them." Ginny smiled, then ran down to Samantha's cell and freed her as well.  
  
"Ginny, Sam! Duck!" Cort yelled.  
  
Ginny turned around and saw Cort go after Draco. Ginny ran down the hall just in time to break up the fight before it escalated into something worse.  
  
"No, Cort, he's helping! He saved me.it's ok!"  
  
Cort glared at Draco, then turned to Ginny.  
  
"We can't trust him." He said under his breath, to Ginny.  
  
"Fine, then stay down here, for all I care. I'm the only one who knows the way out.although, you could ask my Father when he comes to check on you."  
  
Samantha had walked up to them by then, and studied the three faces. Cort nodded his head in consent, and followed Draco, Ginny and Samantha out of the dungeon. The fresh air was the best thing that happened to him in a long while, and he just wanted to stand there, underneath the dark sky and breath it all in.  
  
"Ok, now we can leave."  
  
"Wait!" Ginny tugged on Draco's arm. "There are more rectangles, and more prisoners!"  
  
Draco looked as if Ginny had sprouted another head. "You said you wanted to rescue these two! We've rescued them, now let's go!"  
  
"You can leave, for all I care, but you'll hand over my wand and the map first."  
  
They had a short staring contest, both Cort and Sam looked from one to the other, wondering who would give in first.  
  
"Fine!" Draco said, "We'll rescue them all! Although we'll probably get killed in the end."  
  
Ginny smiled, and watched as Draco placed the wand over another rectangle, revealing more names Ginny recognized from school.  
  
WARNING!!! Do not read the following Author's Note unless you have read ALL of Order of the Pheonix!  
  
(A/N: Yay, I loved the book to pieces! I know when Harry started seeing Cho I was REALLY mad because although I love Draco/Ginny fics I just don't see J.K. Rowling writing that ship. So, I know that in the books, in my mind, Harry and Ginny should get together. I was even thinking before the book was out that it would be good for Harry to go out with Cho and realize that he only liked liking her, you know, in love with the idea of being in love. I felt it would be good for him to come to terms with relationships and how he wanted his to be, so that when he finally saw Ginny in that light he'd know!!! ::wink wink::  
  
Now, this Professor Umbridge/Ministry of Magic fiasco! I cannot believe they would do that! It's like communist Russia! The newspapers print what the "establishment" dictate, they place people on their paryroll in officiating positions at Hogwarts, and cause the people to think Harry was a fake who was going mad! Not to mention taking bribes and information to pay for freedom. It sickened me to no end, and by the time I got halfway I wanted to physically hurt that Umbridge woman!  
  
Ok, the sad part, Sirius dying. I knew a character died, and all along I thought it would be Neville, I must admit. I thought that he would die taking a blast from someone's wand, saving Harry, and thus having his memory cherished by every wizard thereafter. Well, I was wrong. When I read the part about Sirius dying I wondered if J.K. wanted her readers to cry, because I admit I had no tears in my eyes, though I was thoroughly distraught. After finishing the book I thought, "Ok, Sirius is dead.I'm okay with this.I can cope." But then a day or so after I was very torn, "No!" I shouted. "You can't kill him! I need him to be in the other books! Kill Lupin! I don't need him!" I dunno, I just felt Sirius had some unresolved issues that Lupin didn't. I would have liked to see Sirius and Snape come to some understanding, a truce of sorts, admitting, though not in words, that they were both wrong and sorry. Plus, I fell in love with the character, so I might just have to write an A/U fic with Sirius in it.hmm.maybe the mysterious veil not really death, but a middle point.hmm..  
  
C'est tout!) 


	16. Waterfall

(A/N: I know this chappy is short, but my computer is acting really weird and shutting down with no apparent reason, so I want to get this posted before it starts doing it's crazy thing again!  
  
Thanks for all your reviews, I love all of them, love them love them! I'll try and get the next chapter out as soon as I think of what's gonna happen next! Suggestions and comments are appreciated!  
  
Oh yeah, everyone that reviews while signed in, I just wanna say that I go to your profiles and I glance at your stories, so if you recommend any of your stories, tell me in the review!  
  
Jahnay!)  
  
Chapter Sixteen: Waterfall  
  
The woods had never been as gloomy as it was that night. The dark cloud that had merely loomed over the moon now covered the entire night sky, and the branches of the trees were as still as death. But there were many things moving on the ground, pinpricks of wand light indicating where they were. Some were hunting-others being hunted.  
  
Draco knew his Father was resilient and would have woken up by now and that all the men he had would be swarming the woods in search for them. He wondered if Lucius had thought they had left already, through the Floo Network, but knew Lucius would investigate the room and remember that they had knocked the Floo Powder off the mantle during their struggle. Looking from side to side, Draco often fancied he saw movement not too far away from them, but it seemed they were safe for the moment.  
  
Draco was in the lead, followed closely behind by Ginny, then Sam and Cort. Ginny had tried to make small talk with the other two prisoners, but Draco had hushed them up quick, warning that their voices would carry in the woods and give them away. It felt like suicide trying to rescue the rest, but he knew Ginny would keep her word and stay here until everyone was safe-even if it meant risking her own life.  
  
They had walked up and down the entire wood, going from one dungeon to the next, rescuing the students. There were Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors, all of different ages. But the one thing they had in common were parents with high rank in the Ministry. Most of them seemed okay, but a few of the younger ones were very pale and looked as if they would keel over. Ginny instructed the strongest to stand on either side of the weak ones in case they fainted.  
  
"Alright," Ginny whispered to Draco once they emptied the last dungeon. "Now what?"  
  
"You're asking me?" Draco hissed. "I thought this was your rescue mission."  
  
"Draco, this is no time to act like a spoiled brat!"  
  
Draco rolled his eyes, "I know of only one more way out, but it's very dangerous, and I've never done it before." By now everyone in the group was listening. "The stream ends on the east side of the woods, and drops of a cliff into a waterfall. My Father, when enchanting this place, couldn't place a charm on the water to prevent people from coming or going, and the charm stops at the waterfall."  
  
"But-"  
  
"But you have to jump."  
  
"What?" One of the older boys said. "Jump? Are you kidding me?"  
  
"Jump?" A young girl whispered. "But won't we die?"  
  
"Yeah, how do we know he's not working for dear old Dad?" Another student interjected, causing the rest of the kids to put their opinions in, making quite a din.  
  
"Everybody!" Ginny said as loudly as she dared. "Please, keep it quiet and let me speak." The conversations stopped. "Draco risked his life more than once tonight for our sakes, and it would be considerate to remember that. I for one trust him and will do anything he says."  
  
Ginny looked at Draco, but it was hard to detect his emotion for the single wandlight barely cast any light on his face. Ginny took the silence to mean a sign of consent from the rest.  
  
"Right, we'll follow you then."  
  
Draco turned around and headed towards the stream.  
  
~*~*~  
  
"Master, we have not found them yet." A very skinny man with a sickly complexion said as he came up to Lucius.  
  
"Well then I suggest you look again!" Lucius roared, pushing the man so hard he fell onto his back.  
  
"But, sir, we believe-we believe that your son is with them."  
  
Lucius stared down at the man, "What makes you think that?"  
  
"He's emptied all the dungeons, and no one would know where they all are." The man flinched, thinking Malfoy would deal him another violent blow for this news as well, but he slowly opened his eyes when he felt no such physical contact.  
  
"The waterfall-" Lucius hissed. "They're headed towards the waterfall! Quick! Gather all the men and meet me there!"  
  
Lucius watched as the slim man ran out into the woods, then looked in the direction where the only weakness of his magic was. If it was true, then Draco had betrayed him. Lucius would not suffer a son, who betrayed his own blood, to live another day on this earth.  
  
~*~*~  
  
The anticipation was like an invisible field that surrounded the students. They had found the stream and were following it due east for about ten minutes when they first heard the rush of falling water. The sound grew louder and louder, and their pace quickened and their hope increased.  
  
Draco was walking alongside Ginny and he would occasionally take sidelong glances down at her face. The wand light illuminated her face and he could see a small smile where once there was a frown. He'd seen her smile many times at school as he was walking in the halls, but never had she looked more resplendent than tonight. The energy that was coming from her was electric as well. He was all too aware of her presence, the way she moved her legs and arms, the steady rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. He noticed that she had a habit of pushing her hair behind her ears, and he nearly smiled after counting that she had done it ten times in the last five minutes.  
  
The sound had finally reached its loudest point, and just behind the next few trees the edge of a very tall cliff protruded in the night sky. The students all clamored to the edge to look down at the huge valley below. One kid pointed out the small lights that looked to be no more than twenty miles away, which was obviously a town of some sort.  
  
"Why can't we just climb down the cliff wall?" One boy asked.  
  
"Go ahead, try." Draco raised an eyebrow.  
  
Everyone held their breath as the daring kid took one long stare at Draco, then went nearer to the edge. He was bending down on his hands and knees so that he could swing his feet out under him first, but just as he was pushing his foot over the cliff he screamed in pain and it took two more kids to pull him away from the cliff before he stopped.  
  
"Draco!" Ginny exclaimed, "Why didn't you tell him what would happen?"  
  
Ginny didn't wait for a reply but went to the boy's aid.  
  
"It was like sharp knives cutting from the inside out." The boy could barely say through his deep intakes of breath.  
  
A few of the girls glared at Draco while the boys looked like they were ready to pummel him.  
  
"Oh no," A small first year cried. "We're prisoners twice over!"  
  
"Don't worry," Ginny said. "We're going to escape twice over as well." Ginny got back off the ground then headed towards Draco. "Ok, what do we do first?"  
  
"Well," Draco said. "You get in the water and jump."  
  
"Hmm," Ginny peered over the ledge. "It looks about fifteen-maybe twenty-feet. Nothing that will kill us. I think we've all had terrible falls like this, especially us that play Quidditch."  
  
A few of the kids nodded their heads, filling everyone with a little more hope. Draco instructed everyone to line up so they would go one at a time. It wouldn't do for all of them to jump at once and fall on top of each other on their way down, probably drowning in the process. It was decided that after one kid jumped, they would wait two minutes before the next one would go.  
  
The water was icy cold causing cold shivers to coarse up and down everyone's spine as they entered the river. The first student took a deep breath, plugged their nose with her thumb and forefinger, then took the jump. Those daring enough to get close to the waters edge couldn't see a single thing or hear even a splash. The seconds went by slowly as someone kept time with their watch. After two minutes the next kid jumped, everyone hoping and praying that they had made it safely. One by one the students all jumped until only Draco and Ginny remained.  
  
Ginny demanded to go first, which wasn't fine at all with Draco. He watched as she waded in the water towards the edge, at the same time trying to fight off the current pushing her. If she were going to go over it would be on her terms. Closer and closer she got until Draco couldn't keep quiet any more.  
  
"Wait!" Draco yelled, rushing towards her.  
  
Ginny turned around with a confused expression on her face. "What is it?"  
  
"I don't think you should jump."  
  
"Draco, this is no time to act macho and go first! Just let me jump!"  
  
"No!" Draco reached out and grabbed her by her forearm.  
  
"Let go!" Ginny tried to pry his fingers off of her, but the water made his skin and her skin slippery.  
  
"Ginny, I don't even know if anyone can survive the jump-we should find another way out."  
  
"What?" She said incredulously. "You mean to say you let all those people jump, only to tell me now that you doubt any of them survived?"  
  
Draco nodded his head.  
  
"I can't believe this! I'm going any way!"  
  
"No, please-you must stay!"  
  
Ginny looked into his eyes and felt a sudden case of déjà vu, as if he had said those words to her before, in another time. . . another place. . .  
  
"Draco, I'm going to jump." She said calmly. "Nothing will happen to me-or to you."  
  
"But-but-" Draco had never been known to be speechless. Throughout his whole life he always had an answer for everything and a smart remark for any comment. But right now he couldn't find the words that could describe this horrible fear of losing her. He couldn't put into words what his feelings were-he couldn't even explain it to himself. So, throwing all caution to the wind, he decided action would indeed speak louder than words in this case.  
  
Draco brought his hand up behind Ginny's head, entwining his fingers in her wet hair. He brought his head closer to hers while gently bringing her own head towards himself. And then, when their lips met, it was as if nothing else in the world mattered. As if their entire lives had led up to this single moment, this kiss, which sent warm rivers of sunshine up and down Ginny's body, this is what she had wanted all along, only she didn't know it. Draco also felt the heat rise up within him and the feel of her lips trembling, but ready for more. He would have given anything to let this moment last forever.  
  
There was something else though, something darker. "As long as time goes on you will forever be separated, spending eternity longing.but never having." The words echoed around Draco's mind. And then he felt as if they were being watched.  
  
The kiss ended sooner than either of the two wanted it to, but Draco quickly turned his head away just in time to see a group of tall men, silhouetted in the darkness, just yards away. They were getting closer by the second, and Draco and Ginny were in plain view.  
  
"There!" Someone yelled, and suddenly the sky was alight with curses being hurtled their way. Some of them sizzled as they hit the water, others hitting bushes on the other side, causing them to light on fire, only making the two easier targets.  
  
Draco began pushing Ginny towards the waters edge, knowing she would have a better chance with the twenty-foot drop, than with Lucius and his thugs. The curses kept pelting their way, the men getting closer and closer until Draco and Ginny could see their faces. Lucius looked down at them and for a split second saw a look of shock cross his face, but it cleared so fast. He rose his wand and pointed it at them.  
  
"Go, Ginny! Now!" Draco yelled.  
  
"I'm not leaving you." Ginny hung on tight to his arm.  
  
"So, my son not only betrays me, but is in alliance with my worst enemy?" Lucius' cold voice was malevolently louder than the din. "Well, I was just going to kill you, but now I'm really angry. Death would be too quick-too easy for you."  
  
Draco held his breath, prepared for the Cruciatus Curse, but wasn't prepared for what would happen next. In one quick movement Lucius pointed his wand at Ginny and yelled an inaudible curse, and suddenly Draco could no longer feel Ginny's small fingers clamped tightly around his arm. He looked down and saw that Ginny was floating face up in the water, her features pale, her dark hair haloing her face.  
  
A terrible pain was wrenching at Draco's heart, and he feared the worst. "So this is how we'll be separated in this life." Draco said to himself. His pain was turned quickly to anger and he moved as if he had had his next movements planned from the very start.  
  
He grabbed the wand that was still clutched in Ginny's other hand and began shouting curses, pointing at one robed figure after the other. His aim was true, and nearly all of them fell to the ground. The others were trying to help their comrades, but Lucius never took his eyes, or his wand, off of his son. The curses shot back and forth as Draco slowly made his way to the waters edge.  
  
"I'll kill you!" He shouted. "I'll not rest until I see your corpse rotting in front of my eyes!" And with that Draco leapt off the edge, Ginny clutched in his arms, down, down, down to the darkness below. 


	17. Father vs Son

(A/N: I finally updated! OMG, it's a miracle! C'est un miracle! I was busy doing other things, which I know is now excuse, but hey, it's the only one I got! I think y'all will enjoy this!  
  
Salut!)  
  
Chapter Seventeen: Father vs. Son  
  
The water was needle pricking cold and as dark as velvet. The sky was still covered in clouds making it near impossible to see the dark shadowing lump floating down the river, coming from the direction of the falls.  
The water embraced Draco in its ice cold arms, lapping over his body, entering his throat and lungs. He tried to move his arms, but they were paralyzed. The water was slowly numbing him from any feeling, except that of coldness itself. He'd been here before, he knew, in the water and the darkness, but he did not survive that time. He wondered if he'd survive this time before blacking out.  
"Look!" One of the students yelled, pointing towards the lump.  
Three of them entered the river, fighting the currents to get to the lump before it went flying past them. They grabbed hold of it with much difficulty and slowly carried it back to shore. The lump was separate into two people; Ginny and Draco. Both looked as if they were dead, their complexion pale and clammy. Upon closer inspection they realized that Draco was breathing.  
"What happened?" He asked, sitting up, trying to fight back the headache.  
"What do you mean, 'what happened?'" Someone yelled, bending down towards Draco. "We waited for you two then panicked when we saw lights up there on the cliff. We thought you were caught! We sent a few of us to try and climb the cliff, but that blasted enchantment won't let anyone get more than six feet up! How about you tell us what happened?"  
Draco brought his hand to his head, trying to massage the pain out of his mind. The memories were slowly coming back to him. Him and Ginny were up there and he-he kissed her and-Then Lucius came! Draco quickly looked around, as if the man himself would appear suddenly and take his life. Then his eyes fell on Ginny.  
"Ginny!" He yelled, shaking her by the arm. "Ginny, please, oh please wake up!"  
"Some one bring her around." A voice said.  
"We don't have our wands!"  
"Here's Ginny's wand!"  
"Don't!" A rather stern voice commanded. "I think it's best if she stays the way she is. She has some pretty bad injuries and if we wake her up it'll just make it worse for her."  
"Is she even alive?"  
Someone bent down to investigate while another person gently pried Draco off of Ginny's arm. It was confirmed; Ginny was alive, but barely. The group demanded to know what happened up there, but Draco refused to tell anyone until they were on their way out of there. Draco took Ginny's wand and levitated her so she floated alongside him as they walked. While they went through the forest, always staying close to the river, Draco related the incident up on the cliff and warned that just because they had no floo powder and that apparating inside the enchantment was impossible, didn't mean that Lucius wouldn't have a back up plan. He guessed that within twenty minutes they would start being hunted.  
A few of the younger kids were scared by this news and one of the seventh years glared at Draco. "You could have left out the details about what they would do to us if we're caught."  
"Excuse me, although you Hufflepuffs think ignorance is bliss, I believe knowledge is power. If we know-and I mean everyone knows-then we can better understand the consequences of foolish actions we might otherwise make."  
They all walked in silence, occasionally looked behind them to make sure they weren't being followed. Their muscles, which had been unused for over a month, were aching terribly from the strain, but no one even dared ask to take a rest. One look at Draco's face and they knew he would not be so generous. He kept assuring them by saying the village was just a few more miles up ahead, and that once they reached it they could somehow contact a Ministry Official.  
"How?" Someone asked, bewildered.  
"Telephone." Draco stated.  
"What's that?" More than one person asked.  
Draco rolled his eyes. "It's a Muggle device used to contact other people from great distances."  
"How?"  
"I don't know how!" He shouted, irritated with all the questions. "Now save your breath!"  
"If he hates Muggles so much," A girl in the back whispered to the boy next to her, "Then how come he knows so much about them?"  
"I don't know," the boy shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe he doesn't hate Muggles."  
  
~*~*~  
  
Lucius was seething. His son, his own flesh and blood, and betrayed him and his family name. He felt himself completely justified if he did away with the Malfoy heir, but not just yet. He felt himself hurt and he wanted to see Draco hurt before his life was ended.  
"What's taking so long?" Lucuis shouted at the men.  
"Sir, all the brooms have been broken except this one and there's no more Floo powder." A man held up Draco's broom.  
"Well, then I will go alone. Wait here." Lucius took the broom then stepped out of the building.  
Looking up he could see the dark ominous clouds hanging over him. It would most likely rain before sunrise, but that did not matter. He knew Draco would be leading those pathetic kids to that Muggle village down the river. He didn't even care about the rest, as long as he had Draco and the Weasley girl, he could forget about his other hostages.  
Lucius mounted the broom, then kicked off into the night air and followed the path of the river.  
  
~*~*~  
  
The lights from the town were slowly beginning to be seen through the trees, which were already beginning to become scarce. Bird calls rose up in the air, foretelling the sunrise that wasn't too far off. Everyone was glad that their long, tiring and rather frightful journey was finally going to come to an end. Everyone but Draco.  
It was odd, he thought, that they hadn't been caught. He had retrieved Ginny's wand and was no gripping it tightly, expecting to use it in the near future. It just wasn't like his Father to give up and forget about it. Draco knew that if Lucius wasn't on his way at the moment, he was most likely cursing everyone in sight and demanding to be shown a way out of the enchanted wood. As Draco was furrowing his brows together, thinking these thoughts, a dark shadow passed over the group of kids, followed by a loud swishing noise.  
"Look out!" Someone yelled, but it was too late.  
There, standing in front of Draco a few yards away, was Lucius Malfoy holding a broom in one hand and a wand in the other. His lip was curled at seeing his son walking alongside the floating figure of Ginny Weasley. Draco narrowed his eyes at his Father, and slowly stepped to the side, shielding Ginny from his Father.  
"So," Lucius whispered, "You've chosen to fight against the Dark Lord? To fight for Muggles?"  
Draco didn't respond.  
"Answer me!" Lucius shouted, then pointed his wand at Draco.  
A bright red light sparkled from the tip of Lucius wand and then it zoomed towards Draco. He lifted his own wand and used the counter curse, causing the red light to sizzle and fade away. The rest of the students started running away, ducking for cover behind a bush or a fallen tree. Lights from both sides zoomed through the air, missing their targets and instead hitting trees or fading into the night sky.  
"What'd you do to her?" Draco shouted as he flung a curse at his Father.  
"I tried to kill her." He growled, dodging the curse and sending one of his own in return.  
"Well it didn't work." Draco sounded almost triumphant, as if the failed murder of Ginny Weasley meant the whole war was over.  
"It seems that a curses power diminishes somewhat in water," Lucius paused to block a curse. "But I'd be very much surprised if that girl lived to see morning."  
Draco gritted his teeth and lunged at his Father. He didn't care about wands anymore, or that the one he was holding was dropped to the ground. All he wanted to do was hurt the man he once called Father. To use his own hands, to feel himself pound the flesh that was his own as well. Lucius had not expected that at all, and was caught off guard. The were both on the ground, Draco on top and pounding at intervals Lucius' head and ribs. Once the man regained his wits he squirmed and struggled and finally was able to get out from beneath his son.  
There they stood, Father and son. Lucius had his wand pointed directly at Draco's chest, and Draco was wandless.  
"After I kill you," He whispered. "I'll finish her."  
"No you won't!" A man shouted not too far away.  
Both of them turned towards the voice and saw Arthur Weasley, backed by at least a dozen Aurors, all pointing their wands at Lucius. Before they could get to the two Malfoys Lucius had disapparated, leaving Draco alone.  
What happened next passed by in a blur. All Draco could think about was Ginny, and he rushed towards her side, letting everyone else fend for themselves. The students came out from their hiding places and began yelling at the top of their lungs, each one trying to be heard over the other to tell what had happened.  
".We were kidnapped and taken to this wood-"  
".I was so hungry and they gave us horrible food that smelled and tasted like-"  
".It was cold and only Phillip was there. He tried to get out once but then they hurt him-"  
".And then Ginny and Draco came and they had the keys. At first I didn't trust Draco, but-"  
".There was this waterfall and we all jumped, but when Ginny didn't come, were scared-"  
".And Lucius tried to kill Ginny, but Draco fought him. Blood brilliant fight-"  
"Everyone, quiet!" One of the Aurors yelled.  
Silence filled around them.  
"Now listen. We are taking you all to St. Mungos where you will be examined and retained for at least twenty four hours. We will call your parents and if everything checks out, then you'll be able to go home."  
One by one, small groups of kids used Port-keys to get to St. Mungos, each group accompanied by an Auror or two. Everyone passed by Draco, who was still on the ground by Ginny, sitting next to Arthur. He was checking her pulse and looking as if he too would keel over, his face was so pale.  
"I tried to save her." Draco muttered, fighting back the tears.  
"You did you best, son." Arthur said, then watched as Draco took Ginny's hand in his own.  
"I tried to warn her, to shake her off of me-but deep down inside I wanted her near me. I didn't know what that feeling was inside of me whenever I was with her, but I know now." Draco choked back a sob. "I love her-sir-and now she's gone."  
Draco placed his other hand over hers, and bent down towards her face. He removed one of his hands and placed it underneath her head and brought it off the ground a few inches. He stared at the features of her face, trying to memorize the exact way her nose pointed up and the pattern of freckles across her cheeks. Even though her eyes were closed, he could still see the deep brown and the drowning depth of them. Then he closed his eyes and brushed his lips over hers.  
Something wasn't right. There was water. Draco pulled away and saw that water was spewing out of her mouth, and now she was breathing, though very shallow breaths. Draco's own heart began to beat faster as he saw her eyes open and stare into his for a moment, before they closed again.  
"Sir!" Draco yelled, catching Arthur's attention who had left to leave Draco a moment. "She's alive!"  
  
~*~*~  
  
There was darkness and Ginny was floating in it. She wasn't alone, though. Images passed her by, some very fast, only blurs-others slowly, taking their time. Voices could be heard and sounds, but Ginny couldn't piece any of them together. For some reason she was very calm and not worried at all.  
She saw Draco playing Quidditch. Then another scene of herself when she was younger, picking apples with her Mother. More scenes flashed by, and it took a moment to realize they were all of her life. Random snatches of time that would have seemed insignificant only months ago, but now caused tears to blossom in her eyes. She tried reaching out and touching one of the scenes, but as her fingers pressed on the image it began to sputter, causing a ripple effect.  
A sudden feeling of being pulled came over Ginny. The images went by much faster now. She wanted to stay and look at them all, but they were fading away and she was being pulled from them.  
Now she could hear more voices, but they were much further away and gargled. They slowly came into focus and she recognized her Father's voice! And then Draco's! She wanted to say something, anything, but she couldn't. She was choking! She opened her eyes and stared into Draco's silvery orbs, then felt exhaustion overwhelm her once again.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Whispering voices were nearby as Ginny came around again. She could smell freshly laundered linen and a faint odor she couldn't quite place. Her mouth was dry and she had a slight headache. She opened her eyes and saw a group of people at the foot of her bed, but it wasn't hers, and she wasn't in her room.  
"Where am I?" She questioned.  
The group of people immediately stopped talking and rushed to her side. Someone called for a Medi-Wizard. She recognized the faces of her family; Molly, Arthur, Bill, the twins. Then a short, squat man with a round face entered the picture. He thrust a cup in her hands and demanded she drink it right away. The stuff was disgusting, and went down her dry throat very slowly. It left an awful taste in her mouth, but she felt more awake and the headache was gone.  
"Can I have some water?" She asked.  
A cup of water was presented to her and she drank it greedily. She tried recalling the last time she had a cool cup of water, and suddenly the memories came flooding back. She had been kidnapped and taken away to an enchanted wood! She tried escaping and nearly got caught, more than once. Draco was there!  
"Where's Draco? The others, did they make it?" She began asking questions one right after the other, not waiting for an answer.  
The looks on everyone faces were the same, as if they had anticipated this.  
"Ginny, you need your rest, and then we'll answer all your questions."  
"How long have I been out? At least tell me that."  
"Three days." Arthur said.  
"Three days? Don't you think that's rest enough?"  
Arthur and Molly eyed each other, then looked at the Medi-Wizard.  
"She is still in a fragile state and any shocking news will only put her back. I am against it."  
"Dear, rest up, take a nap. We'll wake you in a few hours." Molly said, bending down to kiss her cheek.  
Ginny watched as they all left her, closing the curtains behind them. She felt denied the truth. Something happened, something outrageous, and they weren't going to tell her! She tried getting comfortable in bed, but the mattress was too lumpy and the sheets too starched. She tried flinging them off of her, but she was tucked very tightly beneath them.  
Finally deciding that escape wasn't going to happen, she resolved to study her surroundings. The little cubicle was dark and blocked off by tall white curtains. There was a table next to her with a pitcher of water and a couple of glasses, along with get well cards and flowers. On the other side she was hooked up to some monitoring machines that bleeped and hummed. The sound of the curtain being pulled away startled her, and she quickly closed her eyes, in case someone came to check if she were following orders and getting her rest.  
Footsteps clicked on the tiled floor, getting closer and closer. She could hear the person breathing as they stood directly above her. She wanted to see who it was. If it was one of the twins, they would probably ignore the 'rules' and tell her everything, especially if there was anything horrific. She felt the person take her hand and squeeze gently. Ginny chanced a quick peek and was shocked at who it was.  
"Draco?"  
Upon hearing Ginny address him, Draco jumped, startled, causing himself to trip over the table and fall on the floor. Ginny inched to the edge of her bed and saw the young man sitting on the floor, rubbing at his thigh.  
"I'm so sorry." Ginny said, trying to suppress a giggle.  
"They told me you were sleeping." She said, getting up.  
"Here, sit down." Ginny scooted over, giving him plenty of room. "When I heard you come in I thought it was one of them, so I faked sleep. I'm sorry I startled you."  
Draco sat down gingerly, and it was then that Ginny noticed the cuts and bruises on his face.  
"What happened?" She brought her hand to his face to trace a very bad cut on his cheek.  
Draco brought his own hand up and held Ginny's hand to his face, closing his eyes. "I fought my Father."  
Ginny now understood what this all meant. While he was leading her out of the woods she didn't think much of the consequences on Draco's part, but now it hit her. Draco had betrayed his Father and the Dark Lord. He had given up everything he had to save her-nearly paying with his life. Even though he did survive, now he had no home, no money, nothing!  
"It was nothing." Draco said, following her train of thought. "And it was well worth it, just to do this." Draco leaned in and gently kissed her lips, lingering there in the bliss.  
Ginny brought her hands around Draco's neck, pulling him closer to her. She nearly laughed when she heard the heart monitor beeping faster and faster. Draco also smiled as he depend the kiss.  
"I may be wrong, but I don't think this is what they meant by getting rest." A laughing voice was heard.  
Ginny and Draco turned to see Fred and George standing near the curtain opening.  
"Come on, loverboy, give the girl some rest. She ain't going anywhere."  
Draco gave her one last kiss, then stood up and followed the twins out of the cubicle, leaving Ginny with pleasant dreams.  
  
(For Those Who Have Seen "Pirates of the Carribean"  
  
Ok, I just have a little side note on the movie but perhaps no one was thinking of. In the movie the Pirates are cursed because of stolen goods. The curse makes them half living. When the moonlight falls on them they're seen as skeletal creatures, and only until every piece of stolen gold is replaced, along with blood from all the thieves, the curse will remain.  
  
Well, as we all know, the pirates were after Boot Straps (AKA William Turner Sr.) blood, but they had dumped him into a deep, dark part of the ocean for an earlier offense, therefore leaving them bloodless and unable to fulfill the needs to lift the curse. Then they find out Boot Strap had a son, so they try to get his blood. In the end the needs are fulfilled and the pirates are freed from the curse. Here's where my thought comes in.  
  
The pirates can walk underwater and not die, so that means Boot Straps must have lived after being dropped into the deep, dark part of the ocean. So for eight years or more, Boot Strap has been stranded in the ocean, unable to know what's going on, probably going crazy, and then, all of a sudden, the curse is lifted and he what? Drowns? Or did he find a way out of his predicament before that time and is somewhere, not alive? Hmm....what are your thoughts? 


	18. Beginning of Forever

(A/N: Oh ::begins to cry:: Oh!!! You guys are way too much!!!! ::hugs everyone:: Today I was feeling really dejected because I haven't really completed a "real" novel and I was downplaying my talent as a writer, and then someone goes and says I made them cry with my writing ::cries herself into a heap of water:: You don't know how that makes me feel. All my life I've wanted to make someone cry (not in a I'm-a-mean-person-who-goes-around- hurting-people-so-I-can-see-them-cry type of way either.) I always felt that if you bring someone a certain emotion through your work you've hit genius! ::jumps up and down:: Thanks!!!  
  
And the whole Pirates of the Carribean thing, well, I'm gonna watch it again this Wednesday, and I'll keep an ear out for the particulars on BootStrap Bill. I thought it was so funny, the reviews you guys sent me "I really liked your story.now about Pirates!!!" and then you go into a big speal and in the end you say "sorry 'bout writing that in a review for your story." I don't care, you can vent to me as long as you put it in a review!!! I really love Orlando Bloom (not in an I'm-a-teenybopper-who- can't-tell-the-difference-between-real-life-and-my-make-believe-world-where- I-marry-Orlando-and-live-happily-everafter sort of way) I just read an article about him in Newsweek and he's a real gentleman, and I wish him success in the future. (Now I'm waiting for all the reviews that go like this "I really liked your story.now about Orlando!!!")  
  
Wow, really long Authors Note.oh well, on with the story!!!)  
  
Chapter Eighteen: Beginning of Forever  
  
The bed was neatly made and Ginny was sitting on top of it going through the last hours events. Her Mother and Father had come in along with Draco, leaving the others in the waiting room. While Molly held Ginny's hand Arthur and Draco began filling in the gaps from the events of last week.  
  
"When Lisbeth showed up at the house your Mother sent an owl after me." Arthur began, but was cut off by Molly.  
  
"The poor girl was half starved and in need of clean clothes."  
  
"Yes, and once we fed her she told all she knew about her imprisonment with you. She didn't give us much to go on, but we had experts searching out the country for the landmarks she specified; small wood, cave, cliffs, stream. We had been searching for days and nights together." Arthur paused. "Draco will be able to tell you everything after you passed out."  
  
Draco shifted uneasily in the chair beside Ginny's bed. He had told the story to Arthur and a few of the other Aurors, but he left out some minor details that he only wanted to share with Ginny. He took a deep breath, and began anyway, "Well, we were up on the cliff in the stream, remember, when my Fa-Lucius came and found us? It seemed he performed the Avada Kedavra curse on you, but when curses go through water they lose some of their potency. You were knocked out and drained of most of your life. I grabbed you in my arms and jumped, hoping my Fa-Lucius would be too afraid to follow.  
  
"The others were down at the bottom, waiting, wondering what had happened. I urged them get up and out of there so we could put distance between us and the wood and so we could get you some help. We walked for ages and just as we were coming upon the town my Fa-Lucius landed in front of us-he used my broom. We fought and he was about to finish me off when your Dad came and saved us."  
  
Arthur smiled and clapped Draco's shoulder with his large hand, "If it weren't for you I'd have had nothing to save."  
  
Draco lowered his head, feeling his cheeks flush. Ginny remembered she wanted to embrace him and tell him she would be there for him, but Arthur and Molly began telling Ginny of Lisbeth and how they had took her home, of course having to erase her memory. The Muggle Newspapers had reported that she had amnesia and the kidnappers were still lose. Somewhere in this conversation Draco had gotten up and left because when her Parents were finished speaking, Ginny looked over and saw the empty chair that once held Draco.  
  
Ginny gave a great sigh as she looked at all her get well cards and flowers. Many of the students that had shared the ordeal with her and come in while she was unconscious and had given them to her. She had read each card, each note and smelled each flower, but none of them were from him. Ginny sighed again and took them into her arms and left the room.  
  
~*~*~  
  
The Great Hall was exceptionally loud with the talk of the kidnappings. The other students had a head start in spreading the news, but this was Ginny's first day back. She had been given the option to sit the rest of the school year out, perhaps catch up during the summer, but Ginny refused. As soon as she entered the Great Hall she scanned the Slytherin table, but the person she was searching for was not there.  
  
"Ginny, glad to see you back!"  
  
"Hey, Gin, you're looking good!"  
  
All sorts of compliments were being paid to her by people from different houses, different years, that Ginny felt her head spin with it all. She wondered if this was how Harry felt sometimes.  
  
"Ginny!" A loud shriek rent the air and Ginny found herself being smothered.  
  
"Lisa?" Ginny questioned, recognizing the girl who had her in a bear like hug.  
  
"Oh, Ginny, I'm so glad you're alive and I couldn't help but think it was all my fault! I'm so sorry, I understand if you hate." Lisa sobbed.  
  
"Lisa, it's ok, really. I'm safe now." Ginny and Lisa were escorted to their seats by Harry.  
  
The Hall quickly quieted and Ginny looked up to see Dumbledore gaining everyone's attention.  
  
He cleared his throat, "I am speaking for the rest of us when I say welcome back, Virginia. We have heard of your heroics and bravery, showing your true Gryffindor colors. That is why I'm glad to present you with this award." Dumblore pulled out his wand and flicked it a few times and gold sparks danced across the air. An object began to form in the sparks and finally showed a plaque. "We will be putting this in the Trophy Hall."  
  
Ginny could feel the tears begin to gather in the corners of her eyes and she couldn't hear the words of congratulation from everyone around her, are feel Lisa's arm around her shoulders. The noise was blocked from her and all she could think about was her guilt.  
  
It wasn't her, Ginny Weasley, that saved everyone. It was Draco. If it weren't for him she would have been long dead. She didn't even register that she was now being escorted to Gryffindor Tower where a loud party was in full bloom, and all in her honor. She sat mutely on a couch and watched as everyone ate and drank to her health, but she felt sick. She made an excuse about needing to speak with the Headmaster, and exited the common room.  
  
The sun was very bright and Ginny shielded her eyes with her hand. The grounds were very beautiful and tranquil. It was a nice Spring afternoon, flowers were in bloom, birds were singing, the wind was caressing the tops of the trees. But Ginny's heart still felt overclouded. She walked in a haze around the grounds, occasionally stopping to look around her and be thankful she was now free. She was about to turn around and head back towards the castle when something caught her eye.  
  
A white wolf was pacing back and forth by the Forbidden Forest. It caught at Ginny's memory, as if she had seen it before. To get a closer look she walked towards it and she recognized it immediately.  
  
The gasp that came from Ginny startled the wolf into stopping dead in its' track. It looked up at her silently, just staring, and Ginny stared back. Ginny walked right up to it the knelt down on her knees.  
  
"It's you." It was more of a statement. "Please, show yourself."  
  
The wolf began to change, to grow and its fur was retreating back into its body when finally the wolf was no longer there, but replaced by Draco. Ginny let out a loud sob and flung herself at the boy, wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her head on his shoulders.  
  
"Don't ever let me go again." She cried, tears running down her cheeks. "Not this time! Not again!"  
  
Draco stroked her hair with his hand, rocking her back and forth. "Don't worry, I don't plan to."  
  
They sat like that for a long while until Ginny's crying ceased. Draco pulled her hair back from her face and looked saddened at the site of her red eyes and splotchy face. He brought out a handkerchief and wiped at the salty trail.  
  
"I saw them," Draco said. "I saw our past lives and I finally understood. Everything now makes sense. I had two overpowering emotions fighting in me towards you; one was hate and the other was love. They were very conflicting and I was very confused. I tried to hurt you because you- Hellen-had hurt me. But I know now, Ginny, you've always loved me."  
  
"I don't want to lose you-"  
  
"It was a curse," Draco explained. "In our first life we should have been together, but we were cursed and it followed us for centuries. Someone will always try and separate us."  
  
Ginny swallowed, "Let's go away somewhere, we'll hide. Anywhere, as long as we're together."  
  
"Ginny, I would love to, but you've got ties. I got to know your family very well while you were in the hospital. I see how much they love you, Ginny, and I don't want you to sacrifice their love when you can have both. This is it, Ginny, this life! We know the danger, and we can prevent it! We have the power!"  
  
Ginny laid her head back on Draco's shoulder, "I wish it was true."  
  
"But it is." Draco ran his fingers through her hair and kissed her forehead.  
  
"Why weren't you in the Great Hall?" She asked after a few minute had passed.  
  
"I'm not coming back to Hogwarts." Draco said resolutely, as if he had been practicing that line.  
  
"Not coming back?" Ginny pulled away.  
  
"Listen, I'm in serious danger. My Father wants me dead, and I'm sure the Dark Lord will be after me as well. I know a lot about his secrets and plans and who's in his circle. The Ministry has said that a lot of the previously accused Death Eaters have abandoned their homes, knowing that I'm a threat to them. I'm going somewhere safe where I can tell the Ministry everything I know."  
  
"You just said-" Ginny stopped, trying to contain her sobs. "You just said you'd never leave me."  
  
"Just a little while, sweet." Draco brought his hand to her face and caressed her cheek. "Believe me, they can't keep me away from you too long. I'll be about." He smiled.  
  
As they sat there Ginny tried to imagine what it would be like if Draco could stay. She would walk back into the castle, her hand in his, and proudly show her affection. She wouldn't care if people thought it a little weird, she probably wouldn't even notice. They would have been able to go Hogsmeade trips together and fight about their Quidditch skills. But it wasn't going to be like that.  
  
Just as the sun was about to set Draco walked Ginny back to the castle, but only to the doors. They were standing on the steps, watching the sky slowly darken.  
  
"I'll be seeing you soon, love." Draco cupped Ginny's head in his hands and brought his lips to hers. It was a gentle kiss filled with the promise of many more to come. Draco backed his head away so he could look once more into Ginny's eyes, wanting to drown in them. "And try to beat the boys off of you. I don't want to have to come back here and bang some boys head in 'cause he couldn't keep his hands to himself."  
  
Ginny laughed, "Don't worry."  
  
Draco gave her one last kiss, then watched as she entered the castle. Life wasn't going to be easy for them, none of their others were, so this one wouldn't be any exception. He was only too glad that he had found out about their curse. Perhaps this life was on the one in which they would be able to be with the other forever.  
  
The End  
  
(A/N: Yep, the ending to a beautiful story which totaled 113 pages, Times New Roman size 12 font in Microsoft Word, the longest story I've EVER written. I'm so glad that you guys were able to share it with me and watch the story unfold. Thanks once again for all your reviews and if I ever get my name out there (well, one of my pen names, such as Adela H) I'll always remember you guys encouraging me to go on! Thanks!) 


End file.
